"She is the only girl in the world, and owing to your idiotic behaviour
I have lost her."

"You speak of the only girl in the world," said Eustace blithely. "If
you want to hear about the only girl in the world, I will tell you. A
week ago I was in the Subway in New York...."

"I'm going to bed," said Sam brusquely.

"All right. I'll tell you while you're undressing."

"I don't want to listen."

"A week ago," said Eustace Hignett, "I will ask you to picture me
seated after some difficulty in a carriage in a New York subway; I got
into conversation with a girl with an elephant gun."

Sam revised his private commination service in order to include the
elephant gun.

"She was my soul-mate," proceeded Eustace with quiet determination. "I
didn't know it at the time, but she was. She had grave brown eyes, a
wonderful personality, and this elephant gun. She was bringing the gun
away from the down-town place where she had taken it to be mended."

"Did she shoot you with it?"

"Shoot me? What do you mean? Why, no!"