“Because I don’t choose to.”
“I would go if I hadn’t a headache,” interposed Vivian, putting his hand to his head and sighing. “It’s very bad.”
“It’s all put on,” said Simon, brutally. “Your head doesn’t ache any more than mine does.”
“Indeed, indeed it does!”
James Rawdon listened to Simon with a disgust for his brutality which he did not attempt to conceal.
“Don’t you go, Bell,” he said. “I’ll stand by you.”
“Look here, Rawdon, don’t put in your oar! You’ll get into trouble!”
“Who’s going to get me into trouble?”
“I am.”
“Come on, then!” and Jim Rawdon put himself in an attitude of defence.