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He walked up and down the railway station as if he
owned the German navy and ran trains as a genteel hobby. I gave him ten
marks to send the telegram. The miserable beast has sneaked the lot.
I'll get at the railway company through the Embassy and have the brute
sacked and put in prison. Did you ever hear of such a skunk?"
"He must have thought you a very simple and charming young Englishman,"
said I.
"You've done the same thing yourself!" he retorted indignantly.
"Pardon me," said I. "If I do send a telegram in that loose way, I
choose a humble and honest-looking porter and give him the exact fee for
the telegram and a winning smile."
"Rot!" said Dale, and turning to Lola--"He has demoralised the whole
railway system of Europe with his tips. I've seen him give a franc to
the black greasy devil that bangs at the carriage wheels with a bit of
iron. He would give anybody anything."
He had recovered his boyish pride in my ridiculous idiosyncracies, and
was in process of illustrating again to Lola what a "splendid chap"
I was.


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