God forbid.
I'm only wanting to explain why I kept dark all the time, and why I'm springing smugly and complacently on you now." "I quite understand," said I.
"In that case," he laughed, "I can proceed on my rounds." But he did not proceed.

He lingered.

"There's another matter I should like to mention," he said.

"In her last letter my mother told me that the Mayor and Town Council were on the point of giving a civic reception to Colonel Boyce.

Has it taken place yet ?" "Yes," said I."And did it go off all right ?" In spite of wisdom learned at Balliol and shell craters, he was still an ingenuous youth.
"Gedge was perfectly quiet," I answered.
He started, as he had for months learned not to start, and into his eyes sprang an alarm that was usually foreign to them.
"Gedge?
How do you know anything about Gedge and Colonel Boyce?
Good Lord! He hasn't been spreading that poisonous stuff over the town ?" "That's what you were afraid of when you asked about the reception ?" "Of course," said he.
"And you wanted to have your mind clear on the point before interviewing Phyllis." "You're quite right, sir," he replied, a bit shamefacedly.