Betty's twin had been away at the time of Radmore's break with Old Place--away in a sense which in our civilised days can only be brought about by one thing, an infectious illness.

At the time the agonising debate was going on at Beechfield, he had been in a fever hospital close on a month, and they were none of them to see him for three more weeks.

It had been at once a pain and a relief that he should not be there--yet what good could a boy of nineteen have done?
As to what had happened to George afterwards, Radmore knew nothing.

He believed that his friend had joined the Indian Civil Service.

From childhood George had always intended to make his career in India, his maternal forebears having all been in the service of John Company.
During the last few days Radmore had thought a great deal of George, wondering what had happened to him during the war--whether, for instance, he had at last managed, as did so many Anglo-Indian officials, to get leave to join the Army?
At one moment, before it had entered into his mind to write to his little godson, he had thought of opening up communications through George.