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workings of conscience； but I could not help fancying that I saw a
certain look in the creature's eyes； as if he were aware that he was
required to connive at a fraud； and rather resented it。
If he would only be good enough to back me up！ Fortunately； however；
he was such a perfect facsimile of the outward Bingo that the risk of
detection was really inconsiderable。
When I got him home I put Bingo's silver collar round his neck；
congratulating myself on my forethought in preserving it； and took him
in to see my mother。 She accepted him as what he seemed without the
slightest misgiving； but this； though it encouraged me to go on； was
not decisivethe spurious poodle would have to encounter the scrutiny
of those who knew every tuft on the genuine animal's body！
Nothing would have induced me to undergo such an ordeal as that of
personally restoring him to the Curries。 We gave him supper； and tied
him up on the lawn； where he howled dolefully all night and buried
bones。
The next morning I wrote a note to Mrs。 Currie； expressing my pleasure
at being able to restore the lost one； and another to Lilian；
containing only the words； 〃Will you believe /now/ that I am sincere？〃
Then I tied both round the poodle's neck； and dropped him over the
wall into the colonel's garden just before I started to catch my train
to town。
I had an anxious walk home from the station that evening； I went round
by the longer way； trembling the whole time lest I should meet any of
the Currie household； to which I felt myself entirely unequal just
then。 I could not rest until I knew whether my fraud had succeeded； or
if the 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 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
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 th