This was where I suddenly found I must have skipped whole stages in my acquaintanceship with this young man. He had jumped from being a busybody and a stranger to being a friend—yes! A friend to whom one felt positively motherly—or at least sisterly.
I turned to him as we walked, and said:
"Of course I'd be glad to advise you in any way that would be of any use to you. You tell me first."
"Righto!" said Captain Holiday. "By Jove, here's some more of this wire. Never mind. We'll turn off here—I think I struck the wrong field. Well! You were asking me if I were engaged. I am not. I asked a girl to marry me, though, not so long ago."
He stopped. I said, sympathetically:
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"Are you? Why?"
I couldn't help opening my eyes.
"Why? I mean—sorry she turned you down."
Now Captain Holiday opened his eyes.