"`You shan't laugh,' said I. `Who were your notes for?'
"`Somebody I expected. He hasn't come. The waiter took you for
him, I suppose. I never thought of his being so stupid. Oh,
what a brute she must have thought you!' And she began to laugh
again.
"I had had enough of it. I hate being laughed at.
"`If you go on laughing,' said I, `I'll kiss you again.'
"The threat was a failure; she did not appear at all alarmed.
"`Not you!' she said, laughing worse than ever.
"I should like you fellows to understand that my heart never
wavered in its allegiance to Lady Mary--my conscience is quite
clear as to that--but I had pledged my word. I caught that
tiresome girl round the waist and I kissed her once--I'm sure of
once, anyhow. She gasped and struggled, laughing still. Then,
with a sudden change of voice, she cried, `Stop', stop!'
"I let her go. I looked round. We had a gallery of spectators.
On one side stood the ugly-headed valet; on the other, in
attitudes of horror, Mary and Miss Dibbs!
"`You've ruined us both now,' said the girl in blue.
"I rose to my feet and was about to explain, when the ugly
fellow rushed at me, brandishing a cane. I had quite enough to
arrange without being bothered by him. I caught the cane in my
left hand, and with my right I knocked him down.
"Then I walked up to Lady Mary. I took no heed of Miss Dibbs'
presence; it was too critical a moment to think of trifles.
Pages:
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44