Nick swallowed a chuckle, and clapped him on the shoulder. "Good-night, minstrel boy! Mind you bring the harp along to my Christmas picnic! We are not all so unappreciative as Olga."
Noel looked for a second as if he were on the verge of losing his temper, but the next he changed his mind and laughed.
"You bet I will, old chap!" he said, and wrung Nick's hand with cordiality.
Nick's chuckle became audible as they drove away. "He can't accuse you of encouraging him anyhow, Olga mia," he remarked. "If you keep it up at this pace, you'll soon choke him off."
Olga's answer was to draw very close to him, and to utter a great sigh.
"Wherefore?" whispered Nick.
She was silent for a moment, then: "I sometimes wish you were the only man in the world, Nick," she said, with quivering emphasis.
"Gracious heaven!" said Nick. "Don't make me giddy!"
She laughed a little, but there was a sound of tears behind. "Men are so silly," she said.
"Abject fools!" said Nick. "There's never more than one worth crying about."