"`Where did you get this?'

"`Why, from the head waiter.'

"`Oh, the fool!' she cried. `It's mine.'

"`Yours? nonsense! He gave me that and another last night.'

"`Oh, the stupidity! They were for--they were not for you. They
were for--someone who is to arrive.'

"I pointed at the signature and gasped, `M.! Do you sign M.?'

"`Yes; my name's--my name begins with M. Oh, if I'd only seen
that waiter this morning! Oh, the idiot!'

"Then I believe I swore.

"`Madame,' said I, `I'm ruined! No harm is done to you--I'm a
man of honor--but I'm ruined. On the strength of your wretched
notes, madame, I've cut the girl I love best in the world--
cut her dead--dead--dead!'

"`What? That young lady in the---- Oh, you thought they were
from her? Oh, I see? How--how--oh, how very amusing!' And the
heartless little wretch went off into another peal of laughter.

"`You pretended not to know her! Oh, dear! oh, dear!' and her
laughter echoed among the trees again. `I saw her looking at
you, and you ate on like a pig! Oh, dear! oh, dear!'