the German Park Road. Our yachting cruise has been thrown to
the winds; and now, to make up for it, you have the impudence to ask me
to play gooseberry for you, and try to propitiate me with one of
Lallemand's dinners, which invariably upset me for a week, and a dose
of Wagner which will drive me crazy for a month."

"How do you know I want you to play gooseberry?" asked Browne savagely.
"It's like your impudence to say such a thing."

"How do I know anything?" said Jimmy, with delightful calmness. "Why,
by the exercise of my own common-sense, of course--a commodity you will
never possess if you go on like this. You are spoons on this girl, I
suppose, and since there's another coming with her, it's pretty plain
to me somebody must be there to keep that other out of the way."

"You grow very coarse," retorted Browne, now thoroughly on his dignity.

"It's a coarse age, they say," Foote replied. "Don't I know by
experience exactly what that second party will be like!"

"If you do you are very clever," said Browne.

"One has to be clever to keep pace with the times," Jimmy replied.
"But, seriously, old man, if you want me, I shall be only too glad to
come to your dinner; but, mind, I take no responsibility for what
happens. I am not going to be called to account by every London mother
who possesses a marriageable daughter."

"You needn't be afraid," said Browne. "I will absolve you from all
responsibility. At any rate you assure me that I can depend upon you?"

"Of course you can, and anything else you like besides," Foote replied.
Then, laying his hand upon Browne's shoulder, he added: "My dear old
Jack, in spite of our long acquaintance, I don't think you quite know
me yet. I talk a lot of nonsense, I'm afraid; but as far as you are
concerned you may depend the heart's in the right place. Now I come to
think of it, I am not quite certain it would not be better for you to
be decently married and out of harm's way. Of course, one doesn't like
to see one's pals hurried off like that; but in your case it's
different."

"My dear fellow," said Browne, "as you said just now, you certainly do
talk a lot of nonsense. Whoever said anything about marriage? Of
course I'm not going to be married. I have never contemplated such a
thing. It's always the way; directly a man shows a little extra
courtesy to a woman, talks to her five minutes longer than he is
accustomed to do, perhaps, or dances with her twice runn