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 to me. My memories of last night are so badly confused."

"Well, you'd better get them clear, 'Ilary. My lawyer says as 'ow a promise of marriage given before witnesses is binding," said Ermyntrude.

"Your lawyer?" cried Hilary Vance.

"Well, you promised to tyke me out ter buy the engygement ring; an' when you didn't come, I went to see my lawyer; an' 'e tells me that it's harl ryght," said Ermyntrude, in a tone of cold menace.

"All right? Oh, heavens!" cried Hilary Vance; and he plunged his hands into his pockets, and walked heavily up and down the room with a supernal gloom on his face. Now and again he groaned.

Ermyntrude sat down in a chair and watched him with the cold eye of a proprietor. At the end of three minutes she said in a yet more threatening tone: "What are you goin' on like this for, 'Ilary? I 'ope as 'ow you're goin' to behyve like a man of Honor." She laid uncommon stress on the "h" in honor.

"I must think it over I must think it over  Go now  There's a good girl . go," said Hilary Vance in a shaky voice.