Van Lennop stood quite still and read it again, even to the
unintelligible date-line. He felt suddenly lifeless, listless, as though
he wanted to sit down. It was all over, then. She had received his
letter and his telegram, and her reply to his offer of his love and
himself was--silence? It was not like her, but there seemed nothing more
for him to do. He could not force himself and his love upon her. She
knew her own mind. His conceit had led him into error. It was done.
He opened the other telegram mechanically. It was from Prescott and
partially in code. It was a long one for Prescott to send, but Van
Lennop looked at it without interest. He would translate it at his
leisure--there was no hurry now--the game had lost its zest.
Van Lennop turned to the dingy register. A train had arrived in his
absence and perhaps Britt, the new superintendent, had come. His name
was there--that was something for which to be grateful, as he could the
sooner get back into the world where he could find in business something
better than his own wretched thoughts to occupy his mind.
He walked languidly over the stone flagging to his room and dropped
listlessly into a chair. It was not long before he heard Britt's alert
step in the corridor quickly followed by his brisk rap upon the door. He
always had liked the ambitious young engineer and they shook hands
cordially.
"I'm more than glad to see you."
Britt laughed.
"I dare say. A week in a place like this is much like a jail sentence
unless you're hard at work. Are things in pretty much of a mess?"