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poodle to which I had intrusted my fate had basely betrayed me； but my
suspense was happily ended as soon as I entered my mother's room。 〃You
can't think how delighted those poor Curries were to see Bingo again；〃 she
said at once； 〃and they said such charming things about you； AlgyLilian
particularly； quite affected she seemed； poor child！ And they wanted you
to go round and dine there and be thanked to…night； but at last I persuaded
them to come to us instead。 And they're going to bring the dog to make
friends。 Oh； and I met Frank Travers； he's back from circuit again now； so
I asked him in too to meet them！〃
I drew a deep breath of relief。 I had played a desperate game； but I had
won！ I could have wished； to be sure； that my mother had not thought of
bringing in Travers on that of all evenings； but I hoped that I could defy
him after this。
The colonel and his people were the first to arrive； he and his wife
being so effusively grateful that they made me very uncomfortable indeed；
Lilian met me with downcast eyes and the faintest possible blush； but she
said nothing just then。 Five minutes afterward； when she and I were alone
together in the conservatory； where I had brought her on pretence of
showing a new begonia； she laid her hand on my sleeve and whispered；
almost shyly； 〃Mr。 WeatherheadAlgernon！ Can you ever forgive me for
being so cruel and unjust to you？〃 And I replied that； upon the whole； I
could。
We were not in the conservatory long； but before we left it beautiful
Lilian Roseblade had consented to make my life happy。 When we
reentered the drawing…room we found Frank Travers； who had been told
the story of the recovery； and I observed his jaw fall as he glanced at our
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faces； and noted the triumphant smile which I have no doubt mine wore；
and the tender； dreamy look in Lilian's soft eyes。 Poor Travers！ I was sorry
for him； although I was not fond of him。 Travers was a good type of rising
young common…law barrister； tall； not bad… looking； with keen dark eyes；
black whiskers； and the mobile forensic mouth which can express every
shade of feeling； from deferential assent to cynical incredulity； possessed；
too； of an endless flow of conversation that was decidedly agreeable； if a
trifling too laboriously so； he had been a dangerous rival。 But all that was
over now； he saw it himself at once； and during dinner sank into dismal
silence； gazing pathetically at Lilian； and sighing almost obtrusively
between the courses。 His stream of small talk seemed to have been cut off
at the main。
〃You've done a kind thing； Weatherhead；〃 said the colonel。 〃I can't tell
you all that dog is to me； and how I missed the poor beast。 I'd quite given
up all hope of ever seeing him again； and all the time there was
Weatherhead； Mr。 Travers； quietly searching all London till he found him！
I sha'n't forget it。 It shows a really kind feeling。〃
I saw by Travers's face that he was telling himself he would have
found fifty Bingos in half the timeif he had only thought of it； he smiled
a melancholy assent to all the colonel said； and then began to study me
with an obviously depreciatory air。
〃You can't think；〃 I heard Mrs。 Currie telling my mother； 〃how really
/touching/ it was to see poor Bingo's emotion at seeing all the old familiar
objects again！ He went up and sniffed at them all in turn； quite plainly
recognising everything。 And he was quite put out to find that we had
moved his favourite ottoman out of the drawing…room。 But he /is/ so
penitent too； and so ashamed of having run away； he kept under a chair in
the hall all the morning； he wouldn't come in here； either； so we had to
leave him in your garden。〃
〃He's been sadly out of spirits all day；〃 said Lilian； 〃he hasn't bitten
one of the tradespeople。〃
〃Oh； /he's/ all right； the rascal！〃 said the colonel； cheerily。 〃He'll be
after the cats again as well as ever in a day or two。〃
〃Ah； those cats！〃 said my poor innocent mother。 〃Algy； you haven't
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tried the air…gun on them again lately； have you？ They're worse than ever。〃
I troubled the colonel to pass the claret。 Travers laughed for the first
time。 〃That's a good idea；〃 he said； in that carrying 〃bar…mess〃 voice of his；
〃an air…gun for cats； ha； ha！ Make good bags； eh； Weatherhead？〃 I said that
I did； /very/ good bags； and felt I was getting painfully red in the face。
〃Oh； Algy is an excellent shotquite a sportsman；〃 said my mother。 〃I
remember； oh； long ago； when we lived at Hammersmith； he had a pistol；
and he used to strew crumbs in the garden for the sparrows； and shoot at
them out of the pantry window； he frequently hit one。〃
〃Well；〃 said the colonel； not much impressed by these sporting
reminiscences； 〃don't go rolling over our Bingo by mistake； you know；
Weatherhead； my boy。 Not but what you've a sort of right after this only
don't。 I wouldn't go through it all twice for anything。〃
〃If you really won't take any more wine；〃 I said； hurriedly； addressing
the colonel and Travers； 〃suppose we all go out and have our coffee on the
lawn？ Itit will be cooler there。〃 For it was getting very hot indoors； I
thought。
I left Travers to amuse the ladieshe could do no more harm now； and；
taking the colonel aside； I seized the opportunity； as we strolled up and
down the garden path； to ask his consent to Lilian's engagement to me。 He
gave it cordially。 〃There's not a man in England；〃 he said； 〃that I'd sooner
see her married to after to…day。 You're a quiet； steady young fellow； and
you've a good kind heart。 As for the money； that's neither here nor there；
Lilian won't come to you without a penny； you know。 But really； my boy；
you can hardly believe what it is to my poor wife and me to see that dog。
Why； bless my soul； look at him now！ What's the matter with him； eh？〃
To my unutterable horror； I saw that that miserable poodle； after
begging unnoticed at the tea…table for some time； had retired to an open
space before it； where he was industriously standing on his head。
We gathered round and examined the animal curiously； as he
continued to balance himself gravely