"Oh, well," said Miss Marley, "ask away. Big or little, friends should stand by each other."
"Yes," said Winn, relieved, "that's what I thought you'd say. I don't know that I ever mentioned to you I'm married?"
"No," she answered quietly, "I can't say that you did; however, most men of your age are married."
"And I've got a son," Winn continued. "His name is Peter—after my father, you know."
"That's a good thing," she concurred heartily. "I'm glad you've got a son."
"Unfortunately," said Winn, "my marriage didn't exactly come off. We got hold of the wrong end of the stick."
"Ah," said Miss Marley, "that's a pity! The right end of the stick is, I believe, almost essential in marriage."
"Yes," Winn acknowledged; "I see that now, of course. I was keen on getting her, but I hadn't thought the rest out. Rather odd, isn't it, that you don't get as much as a tip about how jolly a thing could be till you've dished yourself from having it?"
Miss Marley agreed that it was rather odd.
Winn came back swiftly to his point.