"
"I didn't mean to offend you. My motive was to comfort you with the
probability that he has changed his mind about shuffling off his mortal
coil."
"You're not very complimentary, Doctor Haslam. Perhaps you don't think that
being jilted by me is sufficient to make a man commit suicide."
"Frankly I don't. If I had thought so three years ago, I'd be dust or
ashes at this present moment. It can't be that you would feel hurt if Tom
Appleton there should fail to keep his oath and should continue to live in
spite of your renunciation of him?"
"How dare you think me so vain and cruel, when I've taken all this trouble
and come all this distance simply to prevent him from keeping his oath?"
"But how in the world would you prevent him if he were honestly bent on
getting rid of himself?"
"By watching him until the moment he makes the attempt, and then rushing
up and telling him that I'd renew our engagement. That would stop him, and
gain time for me to manage so that he'd fall in love with some other girl
and release me of his own accord."
"But think a moment. You can watch him until the opera is out and perhaps
for some time later.
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