I heard his breath whistle through his nose like the wind at a
keyhole. He says 'You mistake, sir. You forget. Or do I deserve to be
insulted?' I told him that I was the insulted person in the party, and the
ladies came next. I swear I heard a chuckle behind the door. That I swear
to."
Chevenix, round-eyed and staring, was heard to mutter, "Good old Nevile!
Well, I'll be shot...." Ingram cut short his tale.
"I can't go into what followed. Much of it was irrelevant, all of it was
preposterous. It ended by Mirza directing me to the nearest hotel, in
perfect English. The crosser he got, the better his English. That's odd,
you know. Of course, I chucked the chap. He lost a soft billet."
There were no comments from the auditory, save such as Mrs. Wilmot's eyes
may have afforded. She sighed, and laid her hand for one moment,
caressingly, upon her neck. Her rings were certainly superb.
The dessert being on the table, Minnie served the old brandy and retired.
Ingram drank of it freely, and began his cigarette the moment that the
coffee and spirit-flame appeared. The ladies withdrew to the drawing-room,
and Mrs. Wilmot sought the piano. But two chords had not been touched
before her eyes found those of Mrs.
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