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194 “Coolin’ ‘is ‘eels in the ‘all.”

“Say I’ll be down in a minute. Ask him to wait.”

“Hi get you,” said she, and clomped out.

Then Jarvis’s eye fell on Bambi’s letter on his table, unopened. It must have come the day before, when he was lost in his play. He glanced through it. At the mention of Strong’s visit he frowned. He read that part twice. There was no doubt of it. Strong had the only chance with her. He made no secret of his devotion to her, and the probabilities were that now that he, Jarvis, was out of the way, she would realize how much she cared for Strong.

“Well, what is, is,” he muttered. He’d have no favours from Strong, though, that was sure.

Twenty minutes later, shaved and dressed, he descended upon his guest, who sat in torment, on a hall-tree shelf, in Stygian darkness.

“How do you do?” said Jarvis, stiffly. “Sorry to keep you waiting in this hole of Calcutta.”

“How are you, Jocelyn?” said Strong, cordially. “Your wife gave me your address, and I thought you might save me from a deadly evening by dining with me at Claremont.”

“Thank you, I have dined,” replied Jarvis.

“So early? Well, come with me while I get a bite