"You used to be only breezy. Now you're becoming a thorough draught. Fold up and keep quiet, can't you?" "Nervous, I suppose," said Muir, in a sympathetic voice. "I wonder you don't take that stuff that you see in the papers about what is good for----" "Sudden pains in the back on washing-day, bending over the tub, and so forth? The portraits of the people before taking the remedy and after decided me. It seems, by the pictures, to make your hair grow long and give you whiskers and a ghastly squint. Ruins your clothes, too. Your collars get the wrong shape." "Oh well, leave it alone, then. Perhaps you're right.... You haven't asked me about the Walmers' dance. I took Miss de Freyne to supper. The American chap never turned up, and I was getting on with her simply rippingly, when _what_ do you think she said? Confided in me that she was privately engaged to and frightfully keen on that boy you met at Harry's. The baby Guardsman. Isn't it sickening?" "What did Miss Walmer do?" asked Vaughan. "She sort of hung about, waiting for Harry, who seemed to be getting on all right with the two strings to his bow, or two stools, or two bundles of hay, or whatever it is. What luck some people have!" "Not in this case. He'll lose them both." "Really? Why?" "He's not a diplomatist, and he wants such a lot for himself. He wants too much. No self-restraint." "Pretty useless for Mrs. Wyburn. I like her. She looked topping last night, too. But I dare say it'll be all right. Romer's a good chap. Awfully dull." "Most interesting. Are you going to stay here much longer, Muir?" "Why? Yes." Vaughan got up. "All right. Do. I'm going out." "Where?" Vaughan did not answer, but gave the heap of notices to his friend, and said-- "Just divide the sheep and goats for me, will you? That's just what they are, the critics--either sheep or goats." "Of course I will. But, I say--I came here to have a talk." "I know you did. You have talked." He went out. Muir smiled to himself, enjoying this treatment as an eccentricity of genius. Five minutes later Gillie came back. CHAPTER XXII GILLIE INTERFERES He was not much surprised to find Muir proudly examining the invitation cards on the mantelpiece. Muir started and turned round as he came in. "Back again? Capital!" "Well, of all the snobs!" said Vaughan. "Hang it, Gillie, it's only for you. I'm pleased you're getting on, that's all." "No words can tell you how I despise your point of view. Just tell me something I want to know. Wasn't there a sort of little scene at this dance last night?" "I didn't see anything," he answered. "You never do." "Oh, I remember now, I heard something. It appears that Romer left his wife and Daphne at the dance and then came back in an hour to fetch them, and she wasn't there." "Who wasn't where?" "Val and Harry had gone for a little fresh air in a taxi for about a quarter of an hour, that's all. They came back and explained it." "They would. Don't apologise."