Part 7 (1/2)
”Then you may. He's the furthest from being a fool of any of the young puppies who live about here, and he knows one end of a gun from the other. I'll write to him now.”
”Dear Dallas” (wrote the colonel),--”I find, on consideration, that you are the only sensible person in the neighbourhood. I hope you will come to lunch to-day. And if you still want to marry my daughter, you may.”
To which Dallas replied by return of messenger:
”Thanks for both invitations. I will.”
An hour later he arrived in person, and the course of true love pulled itself together, and began to run smooth again.
TOM, d.i.c.k, AND HARRY
This story will interest and amuse all cricketers, and while from the male point of view it may serve as a good ill.u.s.tration of the fickleness of woman and the impossibility of forecasting what course she will take, the fair s.e.x will find in it an equally s.h.i.+ning proof of the colossal vanity of man.
”It's like this.”
Tom Ellison sat down on the bed, and paused.
”Whack it out,” said d.i.c.k Henley encouragingly.
”We're all friends here, and the pa.s.sword's 'Portland.' What's the matter?”
”I hate talking to a man when he's shaving. I don't want to have you cutting your head off.”
”Don't worry about me. This is a safety razor. And, anyhow, what's the excitement? Going to make my flesh creep?”
Tom Ellison kicked uncomfortably at the chair he was trying to balance on one leg.
”It's so hard to explain.”
”Have a dash at it.”
”Well, look here, d.i.c.k, we've always been pals. What?”
”Of course we have.”
”We went to the Empire last Boatrace night together----”
”And got chucked out simultaneously.”
”In fact, we've always been pals. What?”
”Of course we have.”
”Then, whenever there was a rag on, and a bonner in the quad, you always knew you could help yourself to my chairs.”
”You had the run of mine.”
”We've shared each other's baccy.”