Lola and I exchanged glances--she had adopted her usual lazy pantherine attitude in the armchair--and her glance was not that of a happy woman to whom a longed-for lover had unexpectedly come.
Its real significance I could not divine, but it was more wistful than merely that of a fellow-conspirator.
"By George!" cried Dale, pulling up a chair by Lola's side, and stretching out his long, well-trousered legs in front of the fire.
"It's good to come back to civilisation and a Christian language and a fireside--and other things," he added, squeezing Lola's hand.

"If only it had not been for this horrible news about you, dear old man----" "Oh, do forget it and give me a little peace!" I cried.

"Why have you come back all of a sudden ?" "The Wymington people wired for me.

It seems the committee are divided between me and Sir Gerald Macnaughton." "He has strong claims," said I."He has been Mayor of the place and got knighted by mistake.

He also gives large dinners and wears a beautiful diamond pin." "I believe he goes to bed in it.