Busby lighted his pipe to avoid a reply, and then made another bad shot.
"You've brought me bad luck," he growled, turning to George.
"It isn't that," said George, "you played in the wrong way. I was looking just now at the book on billiards in the Free Library, and——"
"Damn the Free Library," said Busby, savagely, making a miss.
Busby played badly for the rest of the game, and withdrew sulkily into a corner. George sat by his side, and endeavoured to cheer him up.
"What's wrong, old chap?" he asked. "You don't mean to say Mrs. B. will be disappointed because you lost?"
Busby gave him a pitying glance, and uttered these amazing words—
"She won't know anything about it."
George looked at him incredulously. "You don't mean to say you'll tell her you won?"
"Shan't tell her anything," said Busby. "She thinks I'm in the Free Library."