"I regret to force myself upon you."
No reply.
"It must be a very important letter."
"To no one but myself,"—with extreme frigidity.
"His father ought to wring his neck,"—thinking of Toddy-One-Boy.
"Sir, he is my brother!"
"I beg your pardon." It seemed that I wasn't getting on very well.
We bumped across the Broadway tracks. Once or twice our shoulders touched, and the thrill I experienced was as painful as it was rapturous. What was in a letter that she should go to this extreme to recall it? A heat-flash of jealousy went over me. She had written to some other fellow; for there always is some other fellow, hang him!... And then a grand idea came into my erstwhile stupid head. Here she was, alone with me in a cab. It was the opportunity of a lifetime. I could force her to listen to my explanation.
"I received your note," I began. "It was cruel and without justice."
Her chin went up a degree.