Vane nodded. "It would really be amusing," he said, "if you'd tell me honestly how you feel. But, of course, you won't. You've begun already to look as if you'd never heard of Miss Bourne." "Bosh!" said George. "Now, I always wonder why fellows do that. When I've been refused by a girl, and----" "I beg your pardon," said George. "I haven't been refused by Miss Bourne." "Well, you would have been, you know. It comes to the same thing." George laughed. "I dare say I should; but I never meant to expose myself to such a fate." "George, my friend, do you think you're speaking the truth?" "I am speaking the truth." "Not a bit of it," responded Vane, calmly. "A couple of months ago you meant to ask her; and, what's more, she'd have had you." George was dimly conscious that this might be so. "It isn't my moral," Vane went on. "Your moral?" "No. I took it from the _Bull's-eye_." George groaned. "They announce the marriage to-night, and add that they have reason to believe that the engagement has come about largely through the joint interest of the parties in _l'affaire Neston_." "I should say they are unusually accurate." "Meaning thereby, to those who have eyes, that she's jilted you because of your goings-on, and taken up with Tommy. In consequence, you are to-night 'pointing a moral and adorning a tale.'" "The devil!" "Yes, not very soothing, is it? But so it is. I looked in at Mrs. Pocklington's, and they were all talking about it." "The Pocklingtons were?" "Yes. And they asked me----" "Who asked you?" "Oh, Violet Fitzderham and Laura Pocklington,--if it was the fact that you were in love with Miss Bourne." "And what did you say?" "I said it was matter of notoriety." "Confound your gossip! There's not a word of truth in it." "I didn't say there was. I said it was a matter of notoriety. So it was." "And did they believe it?" "Did who believe it?" asked Vane, smiling slightly. "Oh, Miss Pocklington, and--and the other girl." "Yes, Miss Pocklington and the other girl, I think, believed it." "What did they say?" "The other girl said it served you right." "And----?" "And Miss Pocklington said it was time for some music." "Upon my soul, it's too bad!" "My dear fellow, you know you were in love with her--in your fishlike kind of way. Only you've forgotten it. One does forget it when----" "Well?" asked George. "When one's in love with another girl. Ah, George, you can't escape my eagle eye! I saw your game, and I did you a kindness." George thought it no use trying to keep his secret. "That's your idea of a kindness, is it?" "Certainly. I've made her jealous." "Really," said George, haughtily, "I think this discussion of ladies' feelings is hardly in good taste." "Quite right, old man," answered Vane, imperturbably. "It's lucky that didn't strike you before you'd heard all you wanted to." "I say, Vane," said George, leaning forward, "did she seem----" "Miss Pocklington, or the other girl?"