She must have seen my face fall, for I know, by Jove, I could just feel
it kind of collapse, I was that hurt and disappointed. Her face softened
kindly and I took courage, for my devilishly alert mind just then hit
upon another explanation. I recalled that she had thoughtlessly left the
pajamas in my rooms. I also realized with dismay that Foxy Grandpa had
promised, or rather the officers had promised for him, that they should
be returned promptly. And, by Jove, I had forgotten all about them!
"Never mind," I said, thinking aloud, as I frequently do. "I'll
telephone about them as soon as we get to Wolhurst." Then a terrible
shock struck me. "Oh, I say, you didn't have your name on them, did
you?"
"On what?" How kindly, even if quizzically, she was regarding me! The
big white hat shifted an inch or two nearer. I realized with joy that
she was beginning to forget about being put out with me.
"Why--" I looked about cautiously and dropped my voice, though it was
not likely any one could hear above the quiver of the train. "Why, in
your black pajamas you left in my rooms."
A kind of little gasp was all I heard, and then she was on her feet and
looking--not at me, but above my head--looking away off down the length
of the car. Somehow--why, I couldn't understand--I had a weird, horrible
feeling of abasement, as though I had killed a child, or had done some
other dashed unreasonable thing like that. Her face had flushed but now
was deadly white. And then, by Jove, I saw she was looking for another
chair.
I jumped up at once and moved into the aisle.
"I'm so sorry," I said miserably, "so sorry, dear, I hurt you. I didn't
mean ever to speak of the pajamas. I knew you wanted to forget about the
other night, and I knew you wanted _me_ to forget, too--"
"Oh, please--" She shrank back, her beautiful eyes like those of a
frightened deer. But it was the last car, and I blocked the aisle. I
didn't realize at the time that I was doing it. It came to me afterward,
and was one of the things I kicked myself about for hours, more or less.
Just at the moment I was so dashed wild about setting myself right with
her. The only other thing I had presence of mind to remember was the
nearness about us of a lot of beady-eyed cats, and so I drew nearer and
lowered my voice so none could hear. For I had another feeling of
inspiration as to what really was the matter with her!
Matter! I should say, rather! She was beginning to look
angry--splendidly angry--her eyes just blazing blue fire. I knew I would
have to get in my explanation quickly, and what's more, if what Pugsley
thought was true, I would have to hit the jolly nail on the head or else
everything was off, you know.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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