Page:Robert William Cole - The Struggle for Empire; A Story of the Year 2236 (1900).djvu/222

210 vanished from his mind, being effaced by time and by the influence and presence of another beauty. Being a man of honour, he was going to tell Flora of the change that had taken place in his intentions towards her; and this was all that the rules of politeness and good breeding required him to do in our time. In the old days of the nineteenth century there used to be some kind of unpleasantness known as a breach of promise case on such occasions, but that has now become one of the curious antiquities of a bygone age. A man or a woman is allowed to break off an engagement of marriage at pleasure, and is thought none the worse of for that; and no girl would dream of telling the story of her disappointed love to the world.

On his arrival at London, which was already rising from its ruins, Alec wrote to Flora, telling her of his adventures at Neptune and of the change that had taken place in his feelings towards her, and asking for an interview, that he might