It came.
"Unfortunately," said the girl lightly, "I am not eligible for such a post. Knights are not for me. You see, Philip," she continued hurriedly, avoiding his eyes, "times have changed. Knights are too scarce and Ladies are too numerous. There are about a million women in this country alone who will have to get along without a knight for the whole of their lives."
"But not you," said Philip eagerly. "Any man would be proud—"
"Thank you," said Peggy, "for the compliment. But perhaps I prefer to be one of that million. There are so many things that a woman can do now which were impossible in the days of chivalry, that she can live her own life quite happily and contentedly, knight or no."
"It's all wrong, all wrong!" cried Philip passionately. "It's all against every law of God and man! I won't believe it!"
"Wrong or right," pursued Peggy quietly, "it is a fact that many a woman nowadays would find a knight rather—what shall we say?—an encumbrance. For instance, I—"
"Not you, not you!" said Philip.
But Peggy continued relentlessly:—
"If ever I do encounter a man who wants to be my cavalier—which is of course extremely unlikely—"
She paused.