frank, and
thoroughly satisfactory explanation of the whole thing, and--"

"What, again? Hang it, Jack, don't repeat yourself. This is the third
time that you've repeated those words _verbatim_."

"Is it? Did I? Odd, too. Fact is, I believe I made up that sentence for
my letter to Number Three, and I suppose I've got it by heart. At any
rate, it's all right You see I had three explanations to make, and they
all had to be full, frank, ample, satisfactory, and all the rest of
those words, you know. But it's awfully hard work. It's wearing on the
constitution. It destroys the nervous system. I tell you what it is,
old chap--I'm serious--if this sort of thing is to go on, hang it, I'll
die of exhaustion."

"So that was the end of your troubles for that day?"

"Well--yes--but not the end of my day. I got away from the widow by
eight o'clock, and then trotted over to Louie."

"Louie?"

"Yes, Louie. Why, man--why not?"

"What, after the late mitten?"

"Mitten? of course. What do you suppose I care for that? Isn't Louie
the best friend I have? Isn't she my only comfort? Doesn't she give
magnificent advice to a fellow, and all that? Louie? Why, man alive,
it's the only thing I have to look forward to! Of course. Well, you
see, Louie was luckily disengaged. The other girls were at whist with
their father and the aunt. So I had Louie to myself."

"I hope you didn't do the sentimental again."

"Sentimental? Good Lord! hadn't I been overwhelmed and choked with
sentiment all day long? Sentiment? Of all the bosh--but, never mind.
Louie at least didn't bother me in that way. Yes, it's a fact,
Macrorie, she's got an awful knack of giving comfort to a fellow."

"Comfort?"

"Well, I can't exactly explain it."

"I suppose she was very sad, and sympathetic, and all that. At any
rate, she didn't know the real trouble that you'd been having?"

"Didn't she, though?"

"No, of course not; how could she?"

"Why, she began questioning me, you know."

"Questioning you?"

"Yes--about--the three oranges, you know."

"Well, and how did you manage to fight her off?"

"Fight her off?"

"Yes."

"Why, I couldn't."

"Couldn't?"

"No."

"Nonsense! A fellow that could baffle the widow, wouldn't have any
trouble in baffling Louie."

"Oh, that's all very well; but you don't know the peculiar way she goes
to work. She's such an awful tease. And she keeps at it too, like a
good fellow."

"Still you were safe from her by re