ntered with his cheery way and cordial greeting I was more
than usually glad to see him and we fell as readily into our accustomed
easy intercourse as though it had never been interrupted by a tragedy. A
few minutes later Littell and Van Bult appeared and our party was
complete.

I advanced to Littell as he appeared, eager to welcome him, but he had
stopped on the threshold and while rolling a cigarette between his deft
fingers was inquiring casually of Davis concerning the latest bit of
social scandal as if he had no more serious thought in the world. A few
hours had sufficed to remove every sign of care and fatigue that I had
observed in the morning.

Van Bult in the meanwhile had sauntered over to the fireside, and,
leaning on the mantle, was looking from one to the other of us with
that rare smile that helped to make him so attractive.

I was proud of my friends as I stood in their midst and reflected that
it would be hard to find three better dressed, better appearing men than
those. They were gentlemen, all of them, not by assertion or imitation,
but because it was inherent in them. And the atmosphere they created was
reposeful and agreeable.

When dinner was announced, we adjourned to the private dining-room I had
reserved and were received by my old servitor, Brown, standing
ceremoniously at the door, and I think he was as pleased as any one over
the reunion. His bow to each of us as he passed the frosted martinis was
almost a salaam, and no dish was served till it had passed under his
critical eye, and no bottle uncorked till he had tried its temperature
with solicitous touch.

We were a pleasant party of old friends together as we sat down that
night, with mutual interests and associations to talk over, and the
conversation drifted from one topic to another, in easy sequence.

The boyish gayety of Davis was infectious, and drew out the brightest
side of Van Bult's nature, though in the sober tone habitual to him,
while Littell's side fire of cynical, humorous comment gave a keener
edge and point to all that was said.

After the coffee and the cigars had been brought and Brown had retired,
our talk took a more serious turn and eventually passed to the subject
of the trial, which by tacit understanding had been avoided before. I
would very willingly have let things continue as they had been and have
ignored the subject altogether, but it was not to be. It was evidently
on all minds and would not be avoid