owed the other into his dining-room.

"I went," said Halibut, waving him to a chair.

"Am I to congratulate you?"

"Well, I don't know," was the reply; "perhaps not just yet."

"What do you mean by that?" said the Major, irascibly.

"Well, as a matter of fact," said Halibut, "she refused me, but so nicely
and so gently that I scarcely minded it. In fact, at first I hardly
realized that she had refused me."

The Major rose, and regarding his poor friend kindly, shook and patted
him lightly on the shoulder.

"She's a splendid woman," said Halibut. "Ornament to her sex," remarked
the Major.

"So considerate," murmured the bereaved one.

"Good women always are," said the Major, decisively. "I don't think I'd
better worry her to-day, Halibut, do you?"

"No, I don't," said Halibut, stiffly.

"I'll try my luck to-morrow," said the Major.

"I beg your pardon," said Halibut.

"Eh?" said the Major, trying to look puzzled.

"You are forgetting the conditions of the game," replied Halibut. "You
have to obtain my permission first."

"Why, my dear fellow," said the Major, with a boisterous laugh.
"I wouldn't insult you by questioning your generosity in such a case.
No, no, Halibut, old fellow, I know you too well."

He spoke with feeling, but there was an anxious note in his voice.

"We must abide by the conditions," said Halibut, slowly; "and I must
inform you, Brill, that I intend to renew the attack myself."

"Then, sir," said the Major, fuming, "you compel me to say--putting all
modesty aside--that I believe the reason Mrs. Riddel would have nothing
to do with you was because she thought somebody else might make a similar
offer."

"That's what I thought," said Halibut, simply; "but you see now that you
have so unaccountably--so far as Mrs. Riddel is concerned--dropped out of
the running, perhaps, if I am gently persistent, she'll take me."

The Major rose and glared at him.

"If you don't take care, old chap," said Halibut, tenderly, "you'll burst
something."

"Gently persistent," repeated the Major, staring at him; "gently
persistent."

"Remember Bruce and his spider," smiled the other.

"You are not going to propose to that poor woman nine times?" roared his
incensed friend.

"I hope that it will not be necessary," was the reply; "but if it is, I
can assure you, my dear Brill, that I'm not going to be outclassed by a
mere spider."

"But think of her feelings!" gasped the Major.

"I ha