I've chucked it for good.'

'Wait till you are a sound man before you say _that_, Mr. Conroy.' Sir
John Chartres stumped out, saying to Gilbert in the corridor, 'It's all
very fine, but the question is shall I or we "Sir Pandarus of Troy
become," eh? We're bound to think of the children.'

'Have you been vetted?' said Miss Henschil, a few minutes after the
train started. 'May I sit with you? I--I don't trust myself yet. I can't
give up as easily as you can, seemingly.'

'Can't you? I never saw any one so improved in a month.'

'Look here!' She reached across to the rack, single-handed lifted
Conroy's bag, and held it at arm's length. 'I counted ten slowly. And I
didn't think of hours or minutes,' she boasted.

'Don't remind me,' he cried.

'Ah! Now I've reminded myself. I wish I hadn't. Do you think it'll be
easier for us to-night?'

'Oh, don't.' The smell of the carriage had brought back all his last
trip to him, and Conroy moved uneasily.

'I'm sorry. I've brought some games,' she went on. 'Draughts and
cards--but they all mean counting. I wish I'd brought chess, but I can't
play chess. What can we do? Talk about something.'

'Well, how's Toots, to begin with?' said Conroy.