"It was a combination of circumstances," replied the other. "You must understand that I was somewhat worried about financial and family matters when I came to Monte Carlo. It was not to gamble, in a sense, that I remained here. I have loafed about the world a good deal, but I may honestly say I never made a fool of myself at cards or backing horses. At most kinds of sport I am fairly proficient, and in pigeon-shooting, which goes on here extensively, I am undoubtedly an expert. For instance, all this season I have kept myself in funds simply by means of these competitions." His hearer nodded approvingly. "Well, in the midst of my minor troubles, I must needs go and fall over head and ears in love--a regular bad case. She is the first woman I ever spoke two civil words to. We met at a picnic along the Corniche Road, and she sat upon me so severely that I commenced to defend myself by showing that I was not such a surly brute as I looked. By Jove, in a week we were engaged." The barrister indulged in a judicial frown. "No. It's none of your silly, sentimental affairs in which people part and meet months afterwards with polite inquiries after each other's health. I am not made that way; neither is Phil--Phyllis is her name, you know. This is for life. I am just bound up in her, and she would go through fire and water for me. But she is rich, the only daughter of a Midland iron-master with tons of money. Her people are awfully nice, and I think they approve of me, though they have no idea that Phil and I are engaged." He paused to gulp down a strong decoction of brandy and soda. The difficult part of his story was coming. "You can quite believe," he continued, "that I did not want to ask her father, Sir William Browne--he was knighted by the late Queen for his distinguished municipal services--to give his daughter to a chap who hadn't a cent. He supposes I am fairly well off, living as I do, and I can't bear acting under false pretences. I hate it like poison, though in this world a man often has to do what he doesn't like. However, this time I determined to be straight and above board. It was a very odd fact, but I just wanted £3000 to enable me to make a move which, I tell you, ought to result in a very fair sum of money, sufficient, at any rate, to render it a reasonable proposition for Phil and me to get married." Claude was an appreciative listener. These love stories of real life are often so much more dramatic than the fictions of the novel or the stage.