so much out, I mean. After what?"

"Why, after I sent him away. Didn't I tell you? Oh, we had the most
awful scene. He raved, Mr. Carter. He called me the most horrid names,
and--"

"Tore his hair?"

"It wasn't long enough to get hold of," she tittered. "But don't laugh.
It was really dreadful. And so unjust! And then, next day, when I
thought it was comfortably over, you know, he came back, and--and
apologized, and called himself the most awful names, and--well, that was
really worse."

"What did the fellow complain of?" I asked in wondering tones.

"Oh, he said I'd destroyed his faith in women, you know, and that I'd
led him on, and that I was--well, he was very rude indeed. And he went
on writing me letters like that for a whole year? It made me quite
uncomfortable."

"But he didn't go back to short trousers and a fiddle, did he?" I asked
anxiously.

"Oh, no. But he forgot all he owed me, and he told me that his heart was
dead, and that he should never love any one again."

"But he's going to marry that girl."

"Oh, he doesn't care about her," said Miss Dolly reassuringly. "It's the
money, you know. He hadn't a farthing of his own. Now he'll be set up
for life."

"And it's all due to you!" said I admiringly.

"Well, it is, really."

"I don't call her such a bad-looking girl, though." (I hadn't seen her
face.)

"Mr. Carter! She's hideous!"

I dropped that subject.

"And now," said Miss Dolly again, "he cuts me dead!"

"It is the height of ingratitude. Why, to love you was a liberal
education!"

"Yes, wasn't it? How nicely you put that. A liberal education!' I shall
tell Archie." (Archie is Lord Mickleham.)

"What, about Phil Meadows?"

"Goodness me, no, Mr. Carter. Just what you said, you know."

"But why not tell Mickleham about Phil Meadows?" I urged. "It's all to
your credit, you know."

"I know, but men are so foolish. You see, Archie thinks--"

"Of course he does."

"You might let me finish."

"Archie thinks you were never in love before."

"Yes, he does. Well, of course, I wasn't in love with Phil--"

"Not a little bit?"

"Oh, well--"

"Nor with any one else?"

Miss Dolly looked for an instant in my direction.

"Nor with any one else?" said I.

Miss Dolly looked straight in front of her.

"Nor with--" I began.

"Hullo, old chappie, where did you spring from?"

"Why, Archie!" cried Miss Dolly.

"Oh, how are you, Mickleham, old man? Take this seat; I'm just off--ju