I live," said Mr. Burton, who thought
that the other was trying to make amends for his recent indiscretion.
"Oh, do tell me about it, Admiral Peters," cried Mrs. Dutton.
"Surely Burton has told you that?" said Mr. Stiles.
"Never breathed a word of it," said the widow, gazing somewhat
reproachfully at the discomfited Mr. Burton.
"Well, tell it now, Burton," said Mr. Stiles.
"You tell it better than I do, sir," said the other.
"No, no," said Mr. Stiles, whose powers of invention were not always to
be relied upon. "You tell it; it's your story."
The widow looked from one to the other. "It's your story, sir," said Mr.
Burton.
"No, I won't tell it," said Mr. Stiles. "It wouldn't be fair to you,
Burton. I'd forgotten that when I spoke. Of course, you were young at
the time, still----"
"I done nothing that I'm ashamed of, sir," said Mr. Burton, trembling
with passion.
"I think it's very hard if I'm not to hear it," said Mrs. Dutton, with
her most fascinating air.
Mr. Stiles gave her a significant glance, and screwing up his lips nodded
in the direction of Mr. Burton.
"At any rate, you were in the chimney with me, sir," said that
unfortunate.
"Ah!" said the other, severely. "But what was I there for, my man?"
Mr. Burton could not tell him; he could only stare at him in a frenzy of
passion and dismay.
"What were you there for, Admiral Peters?" inquired Mrs. Dutton.
"I was there, ma'am," said the unspeakable Mr. Stiles, slowly--"I was
there to save the life of Burton. I never deserted my men---never.
Whatever scrapes they got into I always did my best to get them out.
News was brought to me that Burton was suffocating in the chimney of the
Sultan's favourite wife, and I----"
"Sultan's favourite wife!" gasped Mrs. Dutton, staring hard at Mr.
Burton, who had collapsed in his chair and was regarding the ingenious
Mr. Stiles with open-mouthed stupefaction. "Good gracious! I--I never
heard of such a thing. I am surprised!"
"So am I," said Mr. Burton, thickly. "I--I---"
"How did you escape, Admiral Peters?" inquired the widow, turning from
the flighty Burton in indignation.
Mr. Stiles shook his head. "To tell you that would be to bring the
French Consul into it," he said, gently. "I oughtn't to have mentioned
the subject at all. Burton had the good sense not to."
The widow murmured acquiescence, and stole a look at the prosaic figure
of the latter gentleman which was fu
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