“Gawd knows,” said Hash simply. It was a problem which he himself had endeavoured idly to solve earlier in the evening. “I’ve named her after an old aunt of mine. Looks a bit like her.” “She must be an attractive woman.” “She’s dead.” “Perhaps it’s all for the best,” said Sam. He leaned forward and pulled the animal’s ears in friendly fashion. Amy simpered in a ladylike way, well pleased. “Would you say she was a bloodhound, Hash?” “I wouldn’t say she was anything, not to swear to.” “A kind of canine cocktail,” said Sam. “The sort of thing a Cruft’s Show judge dreams about when he has a nightmare.” He observed something lying on the floor; and stooping, found that his overtures to the animal had caused Kay’s note to slip from his fingers. He picked it up and eyed Hash sternly. Amy, charmed by his recent attentions, snuffled like water going down the waste pipe of a bath. “Hash!” said Sam. “’Ullo?” “What the devil,” demanded Sam forcefully, “do you mean by chirruping at Miss Derrick out of trees?” “I only said oo-oo, Sam,” pleaded Mr. Todhunter. “You said what?” “Oo-oo!” “What on earth did you want to say oo-oo for?” Much voyaging on the high seas had given Hash’s cheeks the consistency of teak, but at this point something resembling a blush played about them. “I thought it was the girl.” “What girl?” “The maid. Clara, ’er name is.” “Well, why should you say oo-oo at her?” Again that faint, fleeting blush coloured Hash’s face. Before Sam’s revolted eyes he suddenly looked coy. “Well, it’s like this, Sam: The ’ole thing ’ere is, we’re engaged.” “What!” “Engaged to be married.” “Engaged!” “Ah!” said Mr. Todhunter. And once more that repellent smirk rendered his features hideous beyond even Nature’s liberal specifications concerning them. Sam sat down. This extraordinary confession had shaken him deeply. “You’re engaged?” “Ah!” “But I thought you disliked women.” “So I do--most of ’em.” Another aspect of the matter struck Sam. His astonishment deepened. “But how did you manage it so soon?” “Soon?” “You can’t have seen the girl more than about half a dozen times.” Still another mysterious point about this romance presented itself to Sam. He regarded the great lover with frank curiosity. “And what was the attraction?” he asked. “That’s what I can’t understand.” “She’s a nice girl,” argued Hash. “I don’t mean in her; I mean in you. What is there about you that could make this misguided female commit such a rash act? If I were a girl, and you begged me for one little rose from my hair, I wouldn’t give it to you.” “But----” “No,” said Sam firmly, “it’s no use arguing; I just wouldn’t give it to you. What did she see in you?” “Oh, well----” “It couldn’t have been your looks--we’ll dismiss that right away, of course. It couldn’t have been your conversation or your intellect, because you haven’t any. Then what was it?” Mr. Todhunter smirked coyly. “Oh, well, I’ve got a way with me, Sam--that’s how it is.”