ture, perhaps it would be different.
No, young man, I fear I must ask you to do your own explaining."

"Me?" says I, gawpin'.

"We will call on Miss Hampton about four-thirty," says he.

And say, Mr. Robert has stacked me up against some batty excursions
before now; but this billin' me for orator of the day when he goes to
look up an old girl of his is about the fruitiest performance he'd ever
sprung.

I don't know when I've ever seen him with a worse case of the fidgets,
either. Why, you'd 'most think he was due to answer a charge of breakin'
and enterin', or something like that! And you know he's some nervy
sport, Mr. Robert--all except when it's a matter of skirts. Then he's
more or less of a skittish party, believe me!

But at four-thirty we went. It wa'n't any joy ride we had, either. All
the way up Mr. Robert sits there fillin' the limousine with gloom thick
enough to slice. I tried chirkin' him up with a few frivolous side
remarks; but they don't take, and I sighs relieved when we're landed at
the apartment hotel where Miss Hampton lives.

"Say," I suggests, "you ain't goin' to lead me in by the ear, are you?"

"I'm not sure but that would be an appropriate entrance," says he.
"However, it might appear a trifle theatrical."

"What's the programme, anyway?" says I, as we boards the elevator. "Do
you open for the defense, or do I?"

"Hanged if I know!" he almost groans out. "I wish I did."

"Then let's stick around outside in the corridor here," says I, "until
we frame up something. Now how would it do if----"

"You're to explain, that's all!" says he, steppin' up and pushin' the
button.

It's a wonder too, from the panicky way he's actin', he don't shove me
ahead of him for a buffer as we goes in. But he has just enough courage
left to let me trail along behind.

So it's him gets the cordial greetin' from the vision in blue net that
floats out easy and graceful from the window nook.

I couldn't see why it wa'n't goin' to be just as awkward for her,
meetin' him again so long after their grand smash, or whatever it was;
but, take it from me, there ain't any fussed motions about Miss Hampton
at all. Them big china blue eyes of hers is steady and calm, her perky
chin is carried well up, and in one corner of her mouth she's displayin'
that quirky smile he'd described to me.

"Ah, Robert!" says she. "So good of you to----"

Then she discovers me and breaks off sudden.

I'm introduced reg'lar and for