Suddenly some one tapped him with a cane from behind upon the top of the hat. He turned his head sharply and saw that it was Palliser. "Hey-o, Gildy!" he said, "_La Normandie_'s beat _Syrinx_. Did you see?" Again that blind and sudden anger flamed up in Gilderman's heart. "Well, what if she did?" said he, almost savagely. "Is that any reason for you to come around, like a fool, knocking me over the head with your cane?" He took off his hat as he spoke, smoothed the nap with his coat-sleeve, and then put it back very carefully upon his head. Palliser stood staring at him. "By Jove! Gildy," he said, almost blankly; and then he asked, "Feeling rusty this morning?" "Rusty!" said Gilderman. "No, I'm not rusty, but I don't like a fellow to come knocking my hat over my eyes with his walking-stick." Palliser did not reply. He moved awkwardly over to the window and stood there for a while looking out into the street. Somehow the young fellow did not like to go away directly as though acknowledging that he was snubbed. For a while there was silence, except for a sudden burst of laughter from the men at the farther window. "By-the-way, Gildy," said Palliser, as though suddenly recollecting something, "I was down at the Mountain Brook sale yesterday. Dorman-Webster's man kind of knocked your man out, didn't he, eh?" Gilderman aroused himself almost violently. Why couldn't the man let him alone. "See here, Palliser," he said, "I don't want to be rude, but I ain't feeling well, and I wish you'd let me alone. I've got a headache, and don't feel well." "Bilious?" inquired Palliser. "Oh, I don't know. I just want to be let alone--that's all." "Oh, all right. I'll let you alone," said Palliser, and then he moved away and joined the group at the farther window, and presently Gilderman heard his high tenor voice sounding through the distant talk. Again Gilderman sat by himself, feeling very miserable. He was ashamed of himself for being so angry, and yet he could not repent it. What should he do? He did not want to go home at this hour of the day; it would be very dull and stupid. And yet if he stayed any longer at the club all the men would be presently coming in, and he knew perfectly well that each would have something in turn to say either about the yacht-race or the Mountain Brook sale. He could not bear it. Where could he go to escape?