Bandit Love

"Or possibly not seriously enough," responded Don Carlos, his grave

face crinkling into a smile. "I am hopelessly in love with her, my

dear Standish, and mean to make her fall in love with me. What are we

going to do in the circumstances?"

"Really, I don't know, Don Carlos," answered Standish, deciding that

the other was jesting. "It's frightfully awkward. Frightfully!

Er--you see, old chap, Myra says she won't come to Auchinleven for the

shooting if you are going to be one of the party, and--er--well, as you

can understand, that places me in a frightfully awkward position."

"I fully realise that, Mr. Standish," said Don Carlos very gravely,

after a long pause which increased Tony's embarrassment. "I, also, am

now placed in an awkward position. I have told many of my friends and

acquaintances to-day that I have been invited to Auchinleven for the

shooting by my friend Mr. Antony Standish, and now I shall have to

explain to everyone that the invitation is cancelled because my friend

fears I shall continue to make love to his fiancée, and Miss Rostrevor

fears I may abduct her, persuade her to elope with me, or something of

the sort. Yes, decidedly a difficult situation!"

"Here, I say, Don Carlos, you'll make me and Myra the laughing-stock of

London if you tell people that!" Tony protested, looking quite

distressed. "Myra will be furious with me and with you, and--er--I--I

suppose you are thinking I am a mean sort of skunk. I'm frightfully

sorry! I say, old chap, can't you suggest some way out of the

difficulty?"

"Well, possibly if I were permitted to have a talk with Miss Rostrevor,

and explain why I have been making love to her, she might understand

matters better and raise no objection to my figuring as a guest at

Auchinleven," said Don Carlos, after another thoughtful pause.

"Jolly good idea!" Tony exclaimed. "I'm quite sure if you explained

matters tactfully to Myra she would understand you have really only

been trying to pay her compliments. Myra's a good sort, and I feel

sure she will accept your explanation."

Don Carlos made no immediate response. He dropped his cigarette into

an ash-tray, rose to his feet with a sigh, and strolled to the window

of his sitting room to gaze out absently across the Green Park.

"'There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which

I know not: The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a

rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man

with a maid,'" he said at length, as if to himself. "So it is written

in the Book of Proverbs."