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 about her caring for you. Remember that? You said I was wrong, but I didn't believe it. Well, you weren't!"

"I'm never wrong," said Gordon gravely.

"Shut up! But I—asked her; see?"

"The devil you did! Rather cheeky, wasn't it?"

"N-no, not the way I did it. I used diplomacy." Gordon smiled. "I told her I'd heard it said, you know, that she was sort of sweet on you, but that you said there was nothing to it. Of course, I put it carelessly; see?"

"Peter, without desiring to appear unduly inquisitive, may I ask you to repeat just what she said, in her own language?"

"Of course. She said you were dead right and that folks were always making cracks about things they didn't"

"Peter."

"Eh?"

"I said, her own words."

"Oh, well, I don't remember just how she said it. But that was the idea. And she said that if you were the only man in the world" Peter stopped, reddening.