"Oh, by the way," she added, "I've given the Marchioness her tip, and I don't imagine Jimsy's life will be worth living in consequence."
"Couldn't you help to make it a little more bearable—for instance?" insinuated the Lieutenant.
"It takes two to make a bargain of that sort," she returned.
"All right," he said, laughing. "I'll see that Little Diplomacy gets a steer in your direction," and he started to leave the room.
"No; I forbid you to do anything of the sort," she called after him.
CHAPTER XIV
THE SERIOUS SIDE OF THE SECRETARY'S NATURE
In virtue of his good resolution to point out to Miss Fitzgerald the error of her ways, the Secretary had been nerving himself to an interview with her on this delicate question, and as result, when he found himself alone with Lieutenant Kingsland in the smoking-room after dinner that evening, both were silent. Each had something to think about, yet each was thinking about the same thing. The Secretary abstractedly wondering how he was to commence the awkward interview which was staring him in the face; while the young officer, relying on the axiom that "a woman never says what she means," was pondering over the best way in which to go to work upon his companion, in order to induce him to open his heart to the lady in question.
"I say, Stanley," he remarked, "do you know Bob Darcy?"