"I just started off," said he, "by hintin' that she might be a bit surprised at hearin' from me." "That's true enough," agreed 'Bias. "She'll be more'n surprised, if I'm not mistaken." "I don't see why." "Don't you? . . . Well, no offence. It's a very good way to begin. In fact," said 'Bias in a slightly patronising tone, "it's pretty much how I began myself. Only I went on quick to hope she wasn't--how d'ye call it?" "I don't know what word _you_ used. _I_ should have said affronted,' if I take your meanin'." 'Bias gave a start. "As it happens I--er--hit on that very word. I remember, because it looked funny to me, spelt with two f's. But I went on to say that I meant honourable, and that she mustn't blame me, because this kind o' thing happened without respect o' persons." Cai sat up, stiff and wondering. He took off his glasses and wiped them. "You said--_that?_" he asked slowly. "I said a damned sight more than that," chuckled 'Bias. "I said that love had its victims as well as its something else beginning with a v, which I forget the exact expression at this moment, and that I'd never looked on myself as bein' in the former cat--no, case. You can't think how I pitched it," said 'Bias, folding his hands comfortably over his stomach. "The words seemed just to flow from the pen." "Oh, can't I?" Cai, sitting up with rigid backbone, continued to gaze at him. "Oh, they _did_--did they? And maybe you didn' go on to explain you weren't precisely in the first flush o' youth--not what you might call a _passionate boy_--" It was 'Bias's turn to sit erect. He sat erect, breathing hard. "There--there's nothing unusual about the expression, is there?" he stammered. "Though how you come to guess on it--" "You've been stealin' my letter, somehow!" flamed Cai. But 'Bias did not seem to hear. He continued to breathe hard, to stare into vacancy. "Did you pay a visit to Peter Benny this mornin'?" he asked at length, very slowly. "Well, yes--if you must know," Cai answered sullenly, his wrath checked by confusion, much as the onset of a tall wave is smothered as it meets a backwash. "That's right," 'Bias nodded. "Somehow or 'nother Benny's sold us a dog: and, what's more, he sold us the same dog. . . . I don't think," went on 'Bias after a pause, "that it showed very good feelin' on your part, your goin' to Benny." "Why not?" demanded Cai, whose thoughts were beginning to work. "Far as I can see you did the very same thing; so anyway you can't complain." "Yes, I can. You know very well I never set up to be a scholar, same as you. By rights you're the scratch boat on this handicap, yet you tried to steal allowance. I thought you'd a-been a better sportsman." "My goin' to Benny," urged Cai sophistically, "was a case of one eddicated man consultin' another, as is frequently done." "Oh, is it? Well, you done it pretty thoroughly, I must say."