"Do try to make Mr. Carter understand!"

We were left along. George wore a meditative smile. Presently
he roused himself to say:

"She's really a very kind woman. She's so sympathetic. She's
not like you. I expect she felt it once herself, you know."

"One can never tell," said I carelessly. "Perhaps she
did--once."

George fell to brooding again. I thought I would try an
experiment.

"Not altogether bad-looking, either, is she?" I asked, lighting a
cigarette.

George started.

"What? Oh, well, I don't know. I suppose some people might
think so."

He paused, and added, with a bashful, knowing smile--

"You can hardly expect me to go into raptures about her, can you,
old man?"

I turned my head away, but he caught me.