THE SACRIFICE Charnock hesitated about meeting Sadie at breakfast, but found her calm and apparently good-humored.

He felt embarrassed and his head ached, but she made him some strong coffee in a way he liked.

Sadie did not often sulk, and he was grateful because she said nothing about what had happened on the previous night.

Indeed, he was on the point of telling her so, but her careless manner discouraged him and he resolved instead that he would stop gambling and keep as steady as he could.

After all, Sadie was really treating him well; she might, for example, have stopped his getting liquor.