nodded.

"Well, I should let her wait," replied Minikin, replacing his eye.
"There's plenty of time before you."

"But she's a barmaid, and she'll expect me to walk with her, to take her
out on Sundays, to go and see her friends. I can't do it. Besides, she's
right: I mean to get on. Then she'll stick to me. It's awful!"

"How did it happen?" asked Minikin.

"I don't know," I replied. "I didn't know I had done it till it was
over."

"Anybody present?"

"Half-a-dozen of them," I groaned.

The door opened, and Jarman entered; he never troubled to knock
anywhere. In place of his usual noisy greeting, he crossed in silence
and shook me gravely by the hand.

"Friend of yours?" he asked, indicating Minikin.

I introduced them to each other.

"Proud to meet you," said Jarman.

"Glad to hear it," said Minikin. "Don't look as if you'd got much else
to be stuck up about."

"Don't mind him," I explained to Jarman. "He was born like it."

"Wonderful gift" replied Jarman. "D'ye know what I should do if I 'ad
it?" He did not wait for Minikin's reply. "'Ire myself out to break up
evening parties. Ever thought of it seriously?"

Minikin replied that he would give the idea consideration.

"Make your fortune going round the suburbs," assured him Jarman. "Pity
you weren't 'ere last night," he continued; "might 'ave saved our young
friend 'ere a deal of trouble. Has 'e told you the news?"

I explained that I had already put Minikin in possession of all the
facts.

"Now you've got a good, steady eye," said Jarman, upon whom Minikin,
according to his manner, had fixed his glass orb; "'ow d'ye think 'e is
looking?"

"As well as can be expected under the circumstances, don't you think?"
answered Minikin.

"Does 'e know the circumstances? Has 'e seen the girl?" asked Jarman.

I replied he had not as yet enjoyed that privilege. "Then 'e don't know
the worst," said Jarman. "A hundred and sixty pounds of 'er, and still
growing! Bit of a load for 'im, ain't it?"

"Some of 'em do have luck," was Minikin's rejoinder. Jarman
leant forward and took further stock for a few seconds of his new
acquaintance.

"That's a fine 'ead of yours," he remarked; "all your own? No offence,"
continued Jarman, without giving Minikin time for repartee. "I was
merely thinking there must be room for a lot of sense in it. Now, what
do you, as a practical man, advise 'im: dose of poison, or Waterloo
Bridge and a brick?"

"I suppose there's no