Made me quite a little speech, in fact; one of the flowery kind, you know, Tom, and said that he bore me no rancour, and all that." "The deuce he did!" says Colonel Tom, very low, like he was talking to himself.

"And then what ?" "Then," says the doctor, "then--let me see--it's all a long time ago, you know, and McMakin's part in the whole thing isn't really important." "I'm not so sure it isn't important," says the colonel, "but go on." "Then," says Armstrong, "we had another drink together.

In fact, a lot of them.

We got awfully friendly.

And like a fool I told him of my quarrel with Lucy." "LIKE a fool," says Colonel Tom, nodding his head.