et engagement.

"I think," she was remarking, "that I used to know Miss Clynesworth."

"A liberal education," said Jimmy, "and I hope you will soon improve
it. Quite infuriating," he added.

"What is?" asked Bridget.

"The cussedness of destiny! Weeks have passed since Carrissima came to
ask Sybil to look you up. If she had been in London she would have
flown to your house; you might graciously have returned her visit; I
should have seen you, and precious time would have been saved."

"It's never too late to mend," said Bridget. "I mean, of course, for
your sister."

"You regard me as hopeless?"

"You appear to be full of confidence," she answered.

"I am," he said, "but naturally Sybil can't go to see you until she
knows your address."

Hearing her tell him that she was lodging at Number 5, Golfney Place,
Colonel Faversham could endure it no longer. Interrupting Mrs.
Reynolds' discourse quite rudely, he limped across the room, whereupon
Jimmy at once rose to his feet.

"Sit down, colonel," he urged. "You will have to give old Mark a turn
before you've done."

"I have not troubled a doctor for the last ten years," said Colonel
Faversham.

"Oh, Mark wouldn't mind the trouble," cried Jimmy, and then he began to
say "good-bye."

Never until this afternoon had Colonel Faversham seen Bridget in a room
with any one outside his own family. While on the one hand he rejoiced
to observe the ease of her manner, it dawned upon him that she was not
likely to be contented to shut herself off from all the world but
himself. Departing from his custom, he went to Golfney Place after
dinner that evening, and, flinging himself recklessly into a chair,
began to rail against Mrs. Reynolds.

"I hate a woman with a long tongue!" he exclaimed. "Talk, talk, talk!
She would argue with the Recording Angel! I positively saw nothing of
you this afternoon. No time for a sensible word."

"Still, I have managed to survive, you see," said Bridget, "and Mr.
Clynesworth is lovely!"

"So is a python from one point of view!" was the answer.

"Oh, what a far-fetched comparison!" she said, and leaned back,
laughing, in her chair.

"Not at all," cried Colonel Faversham. "You'll generally find there's
something in what I say. You can't be too careful of a man like Jimmy
Clynesworth. For my part, I very seldom know what he is talking about;
I question whether he knows himself. I am a plain, straightforward
man--but there!