“What’s the trouble?”
“It’s about that darned girl!”
Archie blinked.
“What!”
“That darned girl!”
Archie could scarcely credit his senses. He had been prepared—indeed, he had steeled himself—to hear Bill allude to his affinity in a number of ways. But “that darned girl” was not one of them.
“Companion of my riper years,” he said, “let’s get this thing straight. When you say ‘that darned girl,’ do you by any possibility allude to—?”
“Of course I do!”
“But, William, old bird—”
“Oh, I know, I know, I know!” said Bill, irritably. “You’re surprised to hear me talk like that about her?”