At length I cut short the whole bother by going off to Jack's.

He was just finishing his breakfast.

The moment he saw me, he started to his feet, and gave a spring toward
me. Then he grasped my hand in both of his, while his face grew radiant
with delight.

"Macrorie! old boy!" he cried. "What a perfect trump! I'll be hanged if
I wasn't going straight over to you! Couldn't stand this sort of thing
any longer.--What's the use of all this beastly row? I haven't had a
moment's peace since it begun. Yes, Macrorie," he continued, wringing
my hand hard, "I'll be hanged if I wouldn't give up every one of the
women--I was just thinking that I'd give them all for a sight of your
old face again--except, perhaps, poor little Louie--" he added. "But,
come, sit down, load up, and fumigate."

And he brought out all his pipes, and drew up all his chairs, and
showed such unfeigned delight at seeing me, that all my old feelings of
friendship came back, and resumed their places.

"Well, old fellow," said I, "do you know in the first place--our row--
You know--"

"Oh, bother the row!"

"Well, it was all a mistake."

"A mistake?"

"Yes. We mistook the women."

"How's that? I'm in the dark."

"Why, there are two ladies at O'Halloran's."

"Two?"

"Yes, and they weren't introduced, and, as they're both young, I
thought they were both his daughters."

"Two women! and young? By Jove!" cried Jack--"and who's the other?"

"His wife!"

"His wife? and young?" The idea seemed to overwhelm Jack.

"Yes," said I, "his wife, and young, and beautiful as an angel."

"Young, and beautiful as an angel!" repeated Jack. "Good Lord,
Macrorie!"

"Well, you know, I thought his wife was Miss O'Halloran, and the other
Miss Marion."

"What's that? his wife? You thought she was Miss O'Halloran?"

"Yes, and the one I saved on the ice, you know--"

"Well, all I can say is, old fellow, I'm confoundedly sorry for your
sake that she's a married woman. That rather knocks your little game.
At the same time it's a very queer thing that I didn't know any thing
about it. Still, I wasn't at the house much, and Mrs. O'Halloran might
have been out of town. I didn't know any thing about their family
affairs, and never heard them mentioned. I thought there was only a
daughter in the family. Never dreamed of there being a wife."

"Well, there is a wife--a Mrs. O'Halloran--so young and beautiful that
I took her for the old man's daughter; and Jack, m