uite a
little girl. That's what makes it so difficult to manage her."

"Why try?" I said. "Lord Thormanby has washed his hands of her. So have
I. The Canon wants to. Wouldn't it be simpler if you did too?"

"It would be much simpler," said Miss Pettigrew. "But I'm not going to
do it. I have a very strong affection for Lalage."

"We all have," I said. "No one, not even the Canon has a stronger
affection than I have; but I don't see how that helps us much. Something
more is required. If sincere affection would have saved Lalage from the
equivocal position in which she now is----"

Miss Pettigrew looked at me in a curious way which made me feel hot and
very uncomfortable even before I imderstood what she was thinking about.
Her eyes twinkled most brilliantly. The smile which had hovered about
her lips before broadened. I recollected what the Canon told me the
night before. Miss Pettigrew had suggested marriage for Lalage. I had
at once thought of Vittie. Miss Pettigrew was not thinking of Vittie. I
felt myself getting red in the face as she looked at me.

"I couldn't," I said at last. "This influenza has completely unstrung
me. I shouldn't have the nerve. You must admit, Miss Pettigrew, that it
would require nerve."

"I'm not suggesting your doing it to-day," said Miss Pettigrew.

"Nor any other day," I said. "I shouldn't be able to screw myself up to
the pitch. I'm not that kind of man at all. What you want is some one
more of the Young Lochinvar type, or a buccaneer. They're all dashing
men who shrink from nothing. Why not advertise for a buccaneer?"

"I don't suppose she'd marry you if you did ask her," said Miss
Pettigrew.

"I am sure she wouldn't, so we needn't go on talking about that. Won't
you let me ring and get you a cup of tea? They make quite good tea in
this hotel!"

"It's too early for tea, and I want to discuss this business of Lalage's
seriously. The position has become quite impossible."

"It's been that for more than a week--but it still goes on. That's the
worst of impossible positions. Nobody can ever stop them. Titherington
said it was impossible the day before he got influenza. You don't know
Titherington, nor does the Canon. But if you did you'd realize that he's
not the kind of man to let an impossible position alone and yet he was
baffled. I had letters yesterday morning from Vittie and O'Don-oghue
asking me to cooperate with them in suppressing Lalage They see that
the position is imp