Scoggins would be!"

Scoggins again--always Scoggins! _Dash_ Scoggins! Of course he would be
discouraged, but I should not. Devilish simple reason, you
know--wouldn't believe it, by Jove!

"Yes, I learned all about it from my daughter when she came home," he
proceeded gloomily; "she feels that in a measure it has marred Miss
Kirkland's visit with her."

Miss Kirkland! I recalled now that that was the name of the girl from
China. By Jove, _I_ preferred to think of her as the frump!

"For Miss Kirkland heard the gossip at Cambridge--seems she has friends
there among the residents; and they were kind enough to tell her of
these things of the year before as soon as they noticed how devoted
Francis was to her. At least this is what my daughter suspects--Miss
Kirkland is not the kind to talk, you know."

Oh, _wasn't_ she! By Jove, I wondered what he would think if he had
heard our conversation in the hall! But it wasn't for _me_ to tell him
he was warming a what's-its-name to his bosom, so I just mumbled a
reply.

"Nevertheless," he shrugged, "it is easy to see that she can't stand the
sight of Francis." He shook his head dismally. "Charming girl, Mr.
Lightnut--a rare and perfect type of the English beauty at her best."

Oh, _was_ she! Not if I knew anything about it, and I had seen three
seasons in London. By Jove, I was so terribly shocked I could just feel
it in my face!

He seemed surprised. "Don't you think so?" he insisted.

"Well, I rather _don't_, you know!" It just blurted out of itself. "Oh,
I say--now, you're not really in earnest?" And I screwed my glass so
hard in my embarrassment, I hurt my eye--"You know she's a freak! Why,
dash it--" I pulled up, for after all, she was a fellow guest.

He stared, jammed his hands deep in his pockets and bent toward me.
"Now, look here, my boy, _do_ you mean to say you don't think Miss
Kirkland a beautiful and winning girl?"--I guess he did see I meant it,
for he slowly emitted an expressive whistle--"Well, you _are_ hopeless
then--utterly hopeless!" and dash it, he just groaned!

"But now, my dear young friend," he went on, and with a glance at the
littered table, "I want you to go out and get some fresh air before the
bloom of the morning is past--if you go out this way, you will avoid
encountering those girls"--his hand gently but firmly urged me. "It has
been just abominably selfish of me to have kept you stuffed in here; I
know I have bored you to death with