"Hang it!"

"What is the matter?"

Tulliwuddle glanced at the Baron.

"I don't know whether the Baron would be interested----"

"Immensely, my goot Tollyvoddle! Supremely!
hugely! I could be interested to-night in a museum!"

"The Baron's past life makes him a peculiarly
catholic judge of indiscretions," said Essington.

Thus reassured, Tulliwuddle began--

"You know I've an aunt who takes an interest in me--
wants me to collar an heiress and that sort of thing.
Well, she has more or less arranged a marriage for me."

"Fill your glasses, gentlemen!" cried Essington.

"Hoch, hoch!" roared the Baron.

"But, I say, wait a minute! That's only the
beginning. I don't know the girl--and she doesn't know
me."

He said the last words in a peculiarly significant tone.