"Sarcasm at any price, madam, would be worse than useless, I am sure." Crossing to the fireplace, I selected a lump of coal from the scuttle and examined it with great care. She watched me curiously. "Do you recognise it?" she asked. "I do," said I, looking up. "It has been in our family for generations. My favourite chunk, believe me. Still, I part with it cheerfully." Thereupon I tossed it into the fire. "Don't be shocked! I shan't miss it. We have coals to burn, madam!" She looked at me soberly for a moment. There was something hurt and wistful in her dark eyes. "Of course, Mr. Smart, I shall pay you for everything--down to the smallest trifle--when the time comes for me to leave this place. I have kept strict account of--" She turned away, with a beaten droop of the proud little head, and again I was shamed. Never have I felt so grotesquely out of proportion with myself as at that moment. My stature seemed to increase from an even six feet to something like twelve, and my bulk became elephantine. She was so slender, so lissom, so weak, and I so gargantuan, so gorilla-like, so heavy-handed! And I had come gaily up to crush her! What a fine figure of a man I was! She did not complete the sentence, but walked slowly toward the window. I had a faint glimpse of a dainty lace handkerchief fiercely clutched in a little hand. By nature I am chivalrous, even gallant. You may have reason to doubt it, but it is quite true. As I've never had a chance to be chivalrous except in my dreams or my imagination, I made haste to seize this opportunity before it was too late. "Madam," I said, with considerable feeling. "I have behaved like a downright rotter to-day. I do not know who you are, nor why you are here, but I assure you it is of no real consequence if you will but condescend to overlook my insufferable--" She turned towards me. The wistful, appealing look still lingered in her eyes. The soft red nether lip seemed a bit tremulous. "I _am_ an intruder," she interrupted, smiling faintly. "You have every right to put me out of your--your home, Mr. Smart. I was a horrid pig to deprive you of all your nice comfortable chairs and--" "I--I haven't missed them." "Don't you ever sit down?" "I will sit down if you'll let me," said I, feeling that I wouldn't appear quite so gigantic if I was sitting. "Please do. The chairs all belong to you." "I'm sorry you put it in that way. They are yours as long as you choose to--to occupy a furnished apartment here." "I have been very selfish, and cattish, and inconsiderate, Mr. Smart. You see, I'm a spoilt child. I've always had my own way in everything. You must look upon me as a very horrid, sneaking, conspiring person, and I--I really think you ought to turn me out." She came a few steps nearer. Under the circumstances I could not sit down. So I stood towering above her, but somehow going through a process of physical and mental shrinkage the longer I remained confronting her.