"Aye, but they'll not come off," said the Major confidently, "I sewed 'em on myself."
"You sewed them—you!" and she laughed in fine scorn. "Indeed, sir, I marvel they don't drop off under my very eyes!"
"Madam," said he gravely, "among few accomplishments, permit me to say I am a somewhat expert—er—needles-man."
Hereupon the apparition seated herself dexterously on the broad coping of the wall and from that vantage surveyed him with eyes of cold disparagement. And after she had regarded him thus for a long moment she spoke 'twixt curling red lips:
"O, Gemini—I might have known it!"
At this the Major ruffled the curls of his great wig and regarded her with some apprehension. At last he ventured a question:
"And pray madam, what might you have known concerning me?"
"A man who sews on his own buttons is a disgrace to his sex," she answered.
"But how if he have no woman to do it for him?"
"He should be a man and—get one."