"If the division marches and Dr. Khayme remains here, what will you do?" he asked. This was increasing, I thought; to encourage him to proceed, I asked, "Why do you wish to know?" "Because," said he, hesitatingly, "because I think you ought to show your hand." "Please tell me exactly what you mean by that," said I. "You know very well what I mean," he replied. "Let us have no guesswork," said I; "if you want to say anything, this is a good time for saying it." "Well, then, I will," said he; "you know that I like Miss Lydia." "Well?" "And I thought you were my friend." "I am your friend." "Then why do you get into my way?" "If I am in your way, it is more than I know," said I; "what would you have me to do?" "If you are my friend, you will keep out of my way." "Do you mean to say that I ought not to visit the Doctor?" "If you visit the Doctor, you ought to make it plain to him why you visit him." "Sergeant," said I; "Dr. Khayme knows very well why I visit him. I have no idea that he considers me a bidder for his daughter." "Well; you may be right, and then again, you may be wrong." "And you would have me renounce Dr. Khayme's society in order to favour your hopes?" "I did not say that. You are perfectly welcome to Dr. Khayme's company; but I do think that you ought not to let him believe that you want Miss Lydia." "Shall I tell him that you say that?" "I can paddle my own canoe; you are not my mouthpiece," he replied angrily. "Then would you have me tell him that I do not want Miss Lydia?" "Tell him what you like, or keep silent if you like; all I've got to say is that if you are my friend you will not stand in my way." "It seems to me, Sergeant," said I, "that you are forcing me into a very delicate position. For me to go to Dr. Khayme and explain to him that my attachment to him is not a piece of hypocrisy played by me in order to win his daughter, would not be satisfactory to the Doctor or to me, or even to Miss Khayme." "Why not to her?" he asked abruptly. "Because my explanation could not be made except upon my assumption that she supposes me a suitor; it would amount to my saying, 'I don't want you,' and more than that, as you can easily see. I decline to put myself into such a position. I prefer to assume that she does not regard me as a suitor, and that the Doctor receives me only as an old pupil. I beg you to stay here until the Doctor comes, and talk to him yourself. I can promise you one thing: I shall not hinder you; I'll give you a clear field." "Do you mean to say that you will give me a clear field with Miss Lydia?" "Not exactly that, but very nearly. You have no right to expect me to say to anybody that Miss Lydia does not attract me, and it would be silly, presumptuous, conceited in me to yield what I have not. I can tell you this: I have not spoken a word to Miss Lydia that I would not speak to any woman, or to any man for that matter, and I can say that I have not one degree of claim upon her."