"As I spoke I heard a step behind me. Turning round, I found myself face to face with the young man with whom I had come in collision as I rushed through the hall. He gazed at the servant—at me—at the girl in blue.
"'Margaret!' he exclaimed, 'what is the——'
"'Hush, hush!' she whispered, pointing again to the servant.
"I stepped up to him, lifting my hat:
"'Sir,' said I, "kindly inform me if you are the gentleman who was to come from England.'
"'Certainly I come from England,' he said.
"'And you ought to have arrived on Wednesday?'
"'Yes," he answered.
"'Then,' said I, 'all I have to say to you, sir, is—that I wish to the devil you'd keep your appointments.' And I left them.
"That's why I'm not married, boys. Where's my glass?"