When he had gone a few steps down the rocky path he turned and came back. Standing before Abel and Sarah, who had their arms round each other, he said:
"You have a year. Make the most of it! And be sure you're in time to claim your wife! Be back to have your bans up in time to be married on the 11th of April. If you're not, I tell you I shall have my bans up, and you may get back too late."
"What do you mean, Eric? You are mad!"
"No more mad than you are, Abel Behenna. You go, that's your chance! I stay, that's mine! I don't mean to let the grass grow under my feet. Sarah cared no more for you than for me five minutes ago, and she may come back to that five minutes after you're gone! You won by a point only—the game may change."
"The game won't change!" said Abel shortly. "Sarah, you'll be true to me? You won't marry till I return?"
"For a year!" added Eric, quickly; "that's the bargain."
"I promise for the year," said Sarah. A dark look came over Abel's face, and he was about to speak, but he mastered himself and smiled.
"I mustn't be too hard or get angry tonight. Come, Eric! we played and fought together. I won fairly. I played fairly all the game of our wooing. You know that as well as I do; and now when I am going away, I shall look to my old and true comrade to help me when I am gone."
"I'll help you none," said Eric, "so help me God!"
"It was God helped me," said Abel, simply.
"Then let Him go on helping you," said Eric angrily. "The Devil is good enough for me!" and without another word he rushed down the steep path and disappeared behind the rocks.
When he had gone Abel hoped for some tender passage with Sarah, but the first remark she made chilled him:
"How lonely it all seems without Eric!" and this note sounded till he had left her at home—and after.
Early on the next morning Abel heard a noise at his door, and on going out saw Eric walking rapidly away; a small canvas bag full of gold and silver lay on the threshold; on a small slip of paper pinned to it was written:
Take the money and go. I stay. God for you! The Devil for me! Remember the 11th of April.
That afternoon Abel went off to Bristol, and a week later sailed on the Star of the Sea bound for Pahang. His money—including that which had been Eric's—was on board in the shape of a venture of cheap toys. He had been advised by a shrewd old mariner of Bristol whom he knew, and who knew the ways of the Chersonese, who predicted that every penny invested would be returned with a shilling to boot.
As the year wore on, Sarah became more and more disturbed in her mind. Eric was always at hand to make love to her in his own persistent, masterful manner, and to this she did not object. Only one letter came from Abel, to say that his venture had proved successful, and that he had sent some two hundred pounds to the bank at Bristol, and was trading with fifty pounds still remaining in goods for China, whither the Star of the Sea was bound and whence she would return to Bristol. He suggested that Eric's share of the venture should be returned to him with his share of the profits. This proposition was treated with
