"But I've promised for you!" ex
postulated his wife. "And he admires
you so."
"llosb! You women can gad about
as much as you please, but I'm In
wrong when It comes to eating sponge
cake and knuckling my knees under
a dinky willow table."
The women departed at three, for
there was to be tennis until five
o'clock. When Harrigan was reason
ably Bure that they were half the dis
tance to the colonel's villa, he put on
his hat, whistled to the dachel, and
together they took the path to the
village.
"We'd look fine drinking tea,
wouldn't we, old scout?" reaching
down and tweaking the dog's velvet
ears. "They don't understand, and it's
no use trying to make 'em. Nora gets
as near as possible. Herr Rosen!
Now, where have I Been his phiz be
fore? I wish I had a real man to
talk to. Abbott sulks half the time,
and the Barone can't get a Joke un
less It's driven In with a mallet. On
your way, old scout, or I'll step on
you. Let's see if we can hoot it down
to the village at a trot without taking
the count."
He had but two errands to execute.
The first was accomplished expeditely
in the little tobacconist's shop under
the arcade, where the purchase, of a
box of Miughettl cigars promised later
solace. The second errand took time
and deliberation. He studied the long
shelves of Tauchnltz. Having red cor
puscles In superabundance, be natur
ally preferred them in his literature,
in the same quantity.
"Ever read thiB?" aBked a pleasant
voice from behind, indicating "Rodney
Stone" with the ferrule of a cane.
