She felt that to lose him would
be to lose a friend whom she could ill spare. Yet a blind instinct forced
her to a last resistance.
"I do not love you," she repeated, almost desperately.
"I do not ask for that now, because I know that it will come. I ask
you to be my lifelong friend and helper. Remember your promise, Lois!
Has not the time come when we need each other--when no one else is
left?" He took her hand again. He felt that she was won.
"If you need me--I care for you enough to try and love you as my
husband."
"Thank you, Lois!"
His inborn tact and knowledge of the human character stood him again
in good stead. He made no violent demonstration of his triumph and
happiness, thus breaking roughly into a region which as yet for him
was dangerous ground. As he had done months before, when the road to
success had seemed blocked, he lifted her hand reverently and
gratefully to his lips.
Thus it was that Captain Adam Nicholson waited patiently but in vain
for Travers' return with his old playfellow. As one by one the Rajah's
guests took their departure in order to prepare for the evening's
festivities, he gave up his last hope.
"I suppose it was too late," he thought ruefully. "Or--she was so
young, and it's many years ago--maybe she has forgotten."
It was not till long afterward that he knew how unconsciously his
first supposition had brushed past the truth.
CHAPTER XVI
FATE
Travers had correctly described the new Marut club-house as a fine
building on which the paint had been laid with a generous hand.
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