wide, but at last he brushed aside the last
card of his demolished palace and recalled his promise to Caesar to
leave Sam as free and unbiased in choice as he had been himself.

"That would be quite easy to manage," he said with assumed heartiness,
"it's--only too easy. Only you must be a partner or something. Oh, oh.
A white apron. I'll buy my tea and bacon of you when I've a house of
my own!"

"All right," grinned Sam. "I'll have great rows of red and gold
canisters and--and brass fittings everywhere--not your plated stuff
for me--solid brass and marble-topped counters. But it won't come
off," he added dejectedly, "things like that never do."

"But it will," persisted Christopher impatiently, "just as my going to
Dusseldorf is coming off."

"You don't get 'prenticed for nothing," was the faithless rejoinder.

Christopher joggled the boat and shouted: "You sinner, if you won't
take my word for it I'll smash you."

"All right--keep cool, I'm only having you on, Chris. Oughtn't we to
turn now?"

They expended their excitement and emotion in rowing furiously, and
landed again at Maidenhead in time for tea. Then Christopher broke the
further news to Sam that he was to return with him to Aston House and
see Caesar. He overcame with difficulty Sam's reiterated objections,
and they walked from Paddington, Christopher keeping a strict guard
over Sam lest he should escape.

But Sam's objections were more "code" than genuine. He was really
anxious to hear the wonderful news confirmed by more responsible lips
than Christopher's--not that he disbelieved his intentions, but he
still doubted his powers. He grew very silent, however, as they turned
in at the beautiful iron gates of Aston House. He had never managed to
really connect his old friend with this wonderful dignified residence
that he knew vaguely by sight. He had had dim visions of Christopher
slipping in by a side entrance avoiding the eyes of plush-breeched
lords-in-waiting. But here was that young gentleman marching calmly in
at the big front doors nodding cheerfully to the sober-clad man
waiting in the hall who called Christopher "Sir."

Sam successfully concealed under an expression of solid
matter-of-factness the interest and curiosity that consumed him. He
looked straight before him and yet saw all round. He accepted the
whole calmly, but he wanted to sit down and stare.

Christopher explained that they were to have dinner together in his
own sitting-r