Yes?"

"A broad _gold_ nib," went on Sam, with the painful exactitude which
comes only from embarrassment or the early stages of intoxication.

"Really?" said Billie, and Sam blinked and told himself resolutely that
this would not do. He was not appearing to advantage. It suddenly
occurred to him that his hair was standing on end as the result of his
struggle with Widgery. He smoothed it down hastily, and felt a trifle
more composed. The old fighting spirit of the Marlowes now began to
assert itself to some extent. He must make an effort to appear as little
of a fool as possible in this girl's eyes. And what eyes they were!
Golly! Like stars! Like two bright planets in....

However, that was neither here nor there. He pulled down his waistcoat
and became cold and business-like,--the dry young lawyer.

"Er--how do you do, Miss Bennett?" he said with a question in his voice,
raising his eyebrows in a professional way. He modelled this performance
on that of lawyers he had seen on the stage, and wished he had some
snuff to take or something to tap against his front teeth. "Miss
Bennett, I believe?"

The effect of the question upon Billie was disastrous. She had come to
this office with beating heart, prepared to end all misunderstandings,
to sob on her soul-mate's shoulder and generally make everything up; but
at this inane exhibition the fighting spirit of the Bennetts--which was
fully as militant as that of the Marlowes--became roused. She told
herself that she had been mistaken in supposing that she still loved
this man. She was a proud girl and refused to admit herself capable of
loving any man who looked at her as if she was something that the cat
had brought in. She drew herself up stiffly.

"Yes," she replied. "How clever of you to remember me."

"I have a good memory."

"How nice! So have I!"

There was a pause, during which Billie allowed her gaze to travel
casually about the room. Sam occupied the intermission by staring
furtively at her profile. He was by now in a thoroughly overwrought
condition, and the thumping of his heart sounded to him as if workmen
were mending the street outside. How beautiful she looked, with that red
hair peeping out beneath her hat and.... However!

"Is there anything I can do for you?" he asked in the sort of voice
Widgery might have used. Sam always pictured Widgery as a small man with
bushy eyebrows, a thin face, and a voice like a rusty file.

"Well, I really wanted t