"You don't think there's any chance that Claudia likes him?"
"Haven't an idea one way or the other," said Ayre rather disingenuously.
Eugene looked very perturbed.
"You see," continued Ayre, "it's pretty cool of you to assume the girl is in love with you when she knew you were engaged to somebody else up to a month ago."
"Oh, damn it, yes!" groaned Eugene; "but she knew old Stafford had sworn not to marry anybody."
"And she knew—of course she knew—you both wanted to marry her. I wonder what she thought of both of you!"
"She never had any idea of the sort about him. About me she may have had an inkling."
"Just an inkling, perhaps," assented Sir Roderick.
"The worst of it is, you know, if she does like me I shall feel a brute, cutting in now. Old Stafford knew I was engaged too, you know."
"It all serves you right," observed Ayre comfortingly. "If you must get engaged at all, why the deuce couldn't you pick the right girl?"