't so much as seen her, my dear
fellow."

"Haven't we been walking up and down outside this lighted veranda for
the last ten minutes?"

Bob emitted a pitying puff. "Wait till you see her in the sunlight!
There's not many of them can stand it, as they get it up here. But she
can--like anything!"

"She has made an impression on you, Bob," said I, but in so sedulously
inoffensive a manner that his self-betrayal was all the greater when he
told me quite hotly not to be an ass.

Now I was more than ten years his senior, and Bob's manners were as
charming as only the manners of a nice Eton boy can be; therefore I held
my peace, but with difficulty refrained from nodding sapiently to
myself. We took a couple of steps in silence, then Bob stopped short. I
did the same. He was still a little stern; we were just within range of
the veranda lights, and I can see and hear him to this day, almost as
clearly as I did that night.

"I'm not much good at making apologies," he began, with rather less
grace than becomes an apologist; but it was more than enough for me from
Bob.

"Nor I at receiving them, my dear Bob."

"Well, you've got to receive one now, whether you accept it or not. I
was the ass myself, and I beg your pardon!"

Somehow I felt it was a good deal for a lad to say, at that age, and
with Bob's upbringing and popularity, even though he said it rather
scornfully in the fewest words. The scorn was really for himself, and I
could well understand it. Nay, I was glad to have something to forgive
in the beginning, I with my unforgivable mission, and would have laughed
the matter off without another word if Bob had let me.

"I'm a bit raw on the point," said he, taking my arm for a last turn,
"and that's the truth. There was a fellow who came out with me, quite a
good chap really, and a tremendous pal of mine at Eton, yet he behaved
like a lunatic about this very thing. Poor chap, he reads like anything,
and I suppose he'd been overdoing it, for he actually asked me to choose
between Mrs. Lascelles and himself! What could a fellow do but let the
poor old simpleton go? They seem to think you can't be pals with a woman
without wanting to make love to her. Such utter rot! I confess I lose my
hair with them; but that doesn't excuse me in the least for losing it
with you."

I assured him, on the other hand, that his very natural irritability on
the subject made all the difference in the world. "But whom," I added,
"do yo