must have cost him. She wondered how much he had lost. Certainly
something very substantial. Yet it seemed to trouble him not at all.
Jill considered his behavior gallant, and her heart warmed to him.
This was how a man ought to take the slings and arrows of outrageous
fortune.

Wally sighed contentedly, and leaned back in his chair.

"An unpleasant exhibition!" he said apologetically. "But unavoidable.
And, anyway, I take it that you would prefer to have me well-fed and
happy about the place than swooning on the floor with starvation. A
wonderful thing, food! I am now ready to converse intelligently on
any subject you care to suggest. I have eaten rose-leaves and am no
more a golden ass, so to speak! What shall we talk about?"

"Tell me about yourself."

Wally beamed.

"There is no nobler topic! But what aspect of myself do you wish me
to touch on? My thoughts, my tastes, my amusements, my career, or
what? I can talk about myself for hours. My friends in New York often
complain about it bitterly."

"New York?" said Jill. "Oh then you live in America?"

"Yes. I only came over here to see that darned false alarm of a play
of mine put on."

"Why didn't you put it on in New York?"