ft in his predecessor's school!
"Twenty-four hours is something," thought I, and determined to try the
cunning of the serpent.

"All right, colonel," I said, "I'll think it over. I don't pretend to
like it; but, after all, I'm in with you and we must pull together.
We'll see how things look to-morrow morning."

"There's another matter I wanted to speak to you about," he went on.

I was now dressed, so I invited him into the breakfast-room, gave him
a cup of coffee (which, to my credit, I didn't poison), and began on
my own eggs and toast.

"Fire away," said I briefly.

"I suppose you know I'm going to be married?" he remarked.

"No, I hadn't heard," I replied, feigning to be entirely occupied with
a very nimble egg. "Rather a busy time for marrying, isn't it? Who is
she?"

He gave a heavy laugh.

"You needn't pretend to be so very innocent; I expect you could give a
pretty good guess."

"Mme. Devarges?" I asked blandly. "Suitable match; about your age--"

"I wish to the devil you wouldn't try to be funny!" he exclaimed. "You
know as well as I do it's the signorina."

"Really?" I replied. "Well, well! I fancied you were a little touched
in that quarter. And she has consented to make you happy?"

I was curious to see what he would say. I knew he was a bad liar,
and, as a fact, I believe he told the truth on this occasion, for he
answered:

"Says she never cared a straw for anyone else."

Oh, signorina!

"Not even Whittingham?" I asked maliciously.

"Hates the old ruffian!" said the colonel. "I once thought she had a
liking for you, Martin, but she laughed at the idea. I'm glad of it,
for we should have fallen out."

I smiled in a somewhat sickly way, and took refuge in my cup. When I
emerged, I asked:

"And when is it to be?"

"Next Saturday."

"So soon?"

"Yes," he said. "Fact is, between you and me, Martin, she's ready
enough."

This was too disgusting. But whether the colonel was deceiving me, or
the signorina had deceived him, I didn't know--a little bit of both,
probably. I saw, however, what the colonel's game was plainly enough;
he was, in his clumsy way, warning me off his preserves, for, of
course, he knew my pretensions, and probably that they had met with
some success, and I don't think I imposed on him very much. But I was
anxious to avoid a rupture and gain time.

"I must call and congratulate the lady," I said.

The colonel couldn't very well object to that, but he didn't li