y at his extinguished
pipe, "there was reason for wondering. Before I took the plunge, I had
a confidential talk with Mrs. Becket, who as good as assured me that I
had only to speak; in fact, she was rather angry with me for disturbing
her family arrangements. Miss Allen, I learnt from her, was an
uncommonly good girl--everything I imagined her. Mrs. Becket didn't
know her family, but she had engaged her on the strength of excellent
testimonials, which didn't seem exaggerated. Yet after that I was
floored--told that the thing couldn't be. No weeping and wailing; but a
face and a voice that puzzled me. The girl liked me well enough; I felt
sure of it. All the same I had to come back to England alone, and in a
devilish bad temper. You remember that I half quarrelled with you about
something at our first meeting."

"You were rather bearish," remarked Glazzard, knocking the ash off his
cigar.

"As I often am. Forgive me, old fellow!"

Denzil relit his pipe.

"The next summer I went over to Sweden again. Miss Allen was still with
the Beckets, as I knew; but she was only going to stay a few months
more. One of the children had died, and the other two were to be sent
to a boarding-school in England. Again I went through the proposing
ordeal, and again it was useless. 'Confound it!' I shouted, 'do deal
honestly with me! What's the matter? Are you engaged already?' She kept
silent for a long time, then said 'Yes!' 'Then why in the name of the
Jotuns didn't you tell me so before?' I was brutal (as I often am), and
the poor girl began to cry. Then there was a scene--positive stage
business. I wouldn't take her refusal. 'This other man, you don't
really care for him--you are going to sacrifice yourself! I won't have
it! She wept and moaned, and threatened hysterics; and at last, when I
was losing patience (I can't stand women's idiotic way of flinging
themselves about and making a disturbance, instead of discussing
difficulties calmly), she said at last that, if ever we met in England,
she would explain her position. 'Why not now?'--no, not in the Beckets'
house. Very well then, at least she might make it certain that I
_should_ see her in England. After trouble enough, she at last
consented to this. She was to come back with Mr. Becket and the boys,
and then go to her people. I got her promise that she would write to me
and make an appointment somewhere or other.--More whisky?"

Glazzard declined; so Denzil replenished his o