All my ideas seemed to desert me on the spot. But by a rapid inspiration I shook my head and said,—
"Never."
"There. During Commune," continued my interrogator, and I saw from Miss Kingsley's radiant and encouraging smile and nod that I had been right in my assumption that he wished to know if I had ever been there.
"Really!" I said, emboldened.
"Grisly," said he.
"Cat!" almost hissed Mr. Fleisch in his excitement.
"Dog!" said Mrs. Marsh.
"Horse!" exclaimed Miss Kingsley.
Fortunately I recalled what Miss Kingsley had told me regarding Mr. Spence's early experiences in search of extremes, so that I was not as nonplussed as might perhaps have been expected by these ejaculations.
"Gruesome!" I said, with a determination to acquit myself creditably.