Little Chandler blushed and smiled.

`Yes,' he said. `I was married last May twelve months.'

`I hope it's not too late in the day to offer my best wishes,' said Ignatius Gallaher. `I didn't know your address or I'd have done so at the time.'

He extended his hand, which Little Chandler took.

`Well, Tommy,' he said, `I wish you and yours every joy in life, old chap, and tons of money, and may you never die till I shoot you. And that's the wish of a sincere friend, an old friend. You know that?'

`I know that,' said Little Chandler.

`Any youngsters?' said Ignatius Gallaher.

Little Chandler blushed again.

`We have one child,' he said.

`Son or daughter?'

`A little boy.'

Ignatius Gallaher slapped his friend sonorously on the back.

`Bravo,' he said, `I wouldn't doubt you, Tommy.'

Little Chandler smiled, looked confusedly at his glass and bit his lower lip with three childishly white front teeth.

`I hope you'll spend an evening with us,' he said, `before you go back. My wife will be delighted to meet you. We can have a little music and—'

`Thanks awfully, old chap,' said Ignatius Gallaher, `I'm sorry we didn't meet earlier. But I must leave tomorrow night.'

`Tonight, perhaps... ?`

`I'm awfully sorry, old man. You see I'm over here with another fellow, clever young chap he is too, and we arranged to go to a little card-party. Only for that... '

`O, in that case... '

`But who knows?' said Ignatius Gallaher considerately. `Next year I may take a little skip over here now that I've broken the ice. It's only a pleasure deferred.'