pitched it pretty strong?"

"Not at all," answered 'Bias. "Come to that, I pitched it pretty strong
myself."

Cai smiled tolerantly, and felt for the rough draft in his pocket.
He fished it forth, unfolded the paper, and spread it on his knee under
the lamp-light. Then, having adjusted his glasses, he picked up his
pipe again.

"I just started off," said he, "by hintin' that she might be a bit
surprised at hearin' from me."

"That's true enough," agreed 'Bias. "She'll be more'n surprised, if I'm
not mistaken."

"I don't see why."

"Don't you? . . . Well, no offence. It's a very good way to begin.
In fact," said 'Bias in a slightly patronising tone, "it's pretty much
how I began myself. Only I went on quick to hope she wasn't--how d'ye
call it?"

"I don't know what word _you_ used. _I_ should have said affronted,' if I
take your meanin'."

'Bias gave a start. "As it happens I--er--hit on that very word.
I remember, because it looked funny to me, spelt with two f's.
But I went on to say that I meant honourable, and that she mustn't blame
me, because this kind o' thing happened without respect o' persons."

Cai sat up, stiff and wondering. He took off his glasses and wiped
them. "You said--_that?_" he asked slowly.

"I said a damned sight more than that," chuckled 'Bias. "I said that
love had its victims as well as its something else beginning with a v,
which I forget the exact expression at this moment, and that I'd never
looked on myself as bein' in the former cat--no, case. You can't think
how I pitched it," said 'Bias, folding his hands comfortably over his
stomach. "The words seemed just to flow from the pen."

"Oh, can't I?" Cai, sitting up with rigid backbone, continued to gaze
at him. "Oh, they _did_--did they? And maybe you didn' go on to
explain you weren't precisely in the first flush o' youth--not what you
might call a _passionate boy_--"

It was 'Bias's turn to sit erect. He sat erect, breathing hard.
"There--there's nothing unusual about the expression, is there?" he
stammered. "Though how you come to guess on it--"

"You've been stealin' my letter, somehow!" flamed Cai.

But 'Bias did not seem to hear. He continued to breathe hard, to stare
into vacancy. "Did you pay a visit to Peter Benny this mornin'?" he
asked at length, very slowly.

"Well, yes--if you must know," Cai answered sullenly, his wrath checked
by confusion, much as the onset of a tall wave is smothered as