A Damsel in Distress

"I should like to explain."

"Please do not apologize."

George ground his teeth in the gloom.

"I haven't the slightest intention of apologizing. I said I would

like to explain. When I have finished explaining, you can go."

"I shall go when I please," flared Maud.

This man was intolerable.

"There is nothing to be afraid of. There will be no repetition of

the--incident."

Maud was outraged by this monstrous misinterpretation of her words.

"I am not afraid!"

"Then, perhaps, you will be kind enough to listen. I won't detain

you long. My explanation is quite simple. I have been made a fool

of. I seem to be in the position of the tinker in the play whom

everybody conspired to delude into the belief that he was a king.

First a friend of yours, Mr. Byng, came to me and told me that you

had confided to him that you loved me."

Maud gasped. Either this man was mad, or Reggie Byng was. She

choose the politer solution.

"Reggie Byng must have lost his senses."

"So I supposed. At least, I imagined that he must be mistaken. But a

man in love is an optimistic fool, of course, and I had loved you

ever since you got into my cab that morning . . ."

"What!"

"So after a while," proceeded George, ignoring the interruption, "I

almost persuaded myself that miracles could still happen, and that

what Byng said was true. And when your father called on me and told

me the very same thing I was convinced. It seemed incredible, but I

had to believe it. Now it seems that, for some inscrutable reason,

both Byng and your father were making a fool of me. That's all.

Good night."

Maud's reply was the last which George or any man would have

expected. There was a moment's silence, and then she burst into a

peal of laughter. It was the laughter of over-strained nerves, but

to George's ears it had the ring of genuine amusement.

"I'm glad you find my story entertaining," he said dryly. He was

convinced now that he loathed this girl, and that all he desired

was to see her go out of his life for ever. "Later, no doubt, the

funny side of it will hit me. Just at present my sense of humour is

rather dormant."

Maud gave a little cry.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, Mr. Bevan. It wasn't that. It wasn't that

at all. Oh, I am so sorry. I don't know why I laughed. It certainly

wasn't because I thought it funny. It's tragic. There's been a

dreadful mistake!"

"I noticed that," said George bitterly. The darkness began to

afflict his nerves. "I wish to God we had some light."