y
Cram to reveal to no one what Waring said, it plunged them in an agony
of doubt and misgiving. Day after day had the patient told and re-told
the story, and never could cross-questioning shake him in the least.
Cram sent for Reynolds and took him into their confidence, and Reynolds
heard the story and added his questions, but to no effect. From first to
last he remembered every incident up to his parting with Lascelles at
his own gateway. After that--nothing.

His story, in brief, was as follows. He was both surprised and
concerned, while smoking and chatting with Mr. Allerton in the rotunda
of the St. Charles, to see Lascelles with a friend, evidently watching
an opportunity of speaking with him. He had noticed about a week
previous a marked difference in the old Frenchman's manner, and three
days before the tragedy, when calling on his way from town to see
Madame and Nin Nin, was informed that they were not at home, and
Monsieur himself was the informant; nor did he, as heretofore, invite
Waring to enter. Sam was a fellow who detested misunderstanding.
Courteously, but positively, he demanded explanation. Lascelles shrugged
his shoulders, but gave it. He had heard too much of Monsieur's
attentions to Madame his wife, and desired their immediate
discontinuance. He must request Monsieur's assurance that he would not
again visit Beau Rivage, or else the reparation due a man of honor, etc.
"Whereupon," said Waring, "I didn't propose to be outdone in civility,
and therefore replied, in the best French I could command, 'Permit me to
tender Monsieur--both. Monsieur's friends will find me at the
barracks.'"

"All the same," said Waring, "when I found Madame and Nin Nin stuck in
the mud I did what I considered the proper thing, and drove them, _coram
publico_, to 'bonne maman's,' never letting them see, of course, that
there was any row on tap, and so when I saw the old fellow with a
keen-looking party alongside I felt sure it meant mischief. I was
utterly surprised, therefore, when Lascelles came up with hat off and
hand extended, bowing low, praying pardon for the intrusion, but saying
he could not defer another instant the desire to express his gratitude
the most profound for my extreme courtesy to Madame and his beloved
child. He had heard the whole story, and, to my confusion, insisted on
going over all the details before Allerton, even to my heroism, as he
called it, in knocking down that big bully of a cabman. I was