ttle stately over this.

"No such familiarity passed," he said. "But she accepted my regrets
with--ha--the most gracious generosity. A fine-spirited woman, sir;
you'll find the same."

"I might if I looked for it," said Puffin. "But why should I want to
make it up? You've done that, and that prevents her talking about
duelling and early trains. She can't mock at me because of you. You
might pass me back my bottle, if you've taken your drink."

The Major reluctantly did so.

"You must please yourself, old boy," he said. "It's your business, and
no one's ever said that Benjy Flint interfered in another man's affairs.
But I trust you will do what good feeling indicates. I hope you value
our jolly games of golf and our pleasant evenings sufficiently highly."

"Eh! how's that?" asked Puffin. "You going to cut me too?"

The Major sat down and put his large feet on the fender. "Tact and
diplomacy, Benjy, my boy," he reminded himself.

"Ha! That's what I like," he said, "a good fire and a friend, and the
rest of the world may go hang. There's no question of cutting, old man;
I needn't tell you that--but we must have one of our good talks. For
instance, I very unceremoniously turned you out of my house this
afternoon, and I owe you an explanation of that. I'll give it you in one
word: Miss Mapp saw you come in. She didn't see me come in here this
evening--ha! ha!--and that's why I can sit at my ease. But if she
knew----"

Puffin guessed.

"What has happened, Major, is that you've thrown me over for Miss Mapp,"
he observed.

"No, sir, I have not," said the Major with emphasis. "Should I be
sitting here and drinking your whisky if I had? But this morning, after
that lady had accepted my regret for my share in what occurred the other
night, she assumed that since I condemned my own conduct unreservedly, I
must equally condemn yours. It really was like a conjuring trick; the
thing was done before I knew anything about it. And before I'd had time
to say, 'Hold on a bit,' I was being led up and down the High Street,
carrying as much merchandise as a drove of camels. God, sir, I suffered
this morning; you don't seem to realize that I suffered; I couldn't
stand any more mornings like that: I haven't the stamina."

"A powerful woman," said Puffin reflectively.

"You may well say that," observed Major Flint. "That is finely said. A
powerful woman she is, with a powerful tongue, and able to be powerful
nasty, and if she sees