s," he repeated, more briskly.

In the brief interval Laurie had planned his little campaign. He would
address this creature as man to man; for perhaps, after all, there was
more of the man in him than he revealed.

"I am going to ask you to be frank with me."

"Yes?" Shaw let it go at that.

"When we met on the street it appeared that you were as anxious as I am
for this interview. Will you tell me at once why you brought me here,
and what you wish to say?"

"Willingly." Shaw flicked the ash off his cigar, and kept his eyes on
its lighted end as he went on: "I brought you here because I want you
out of the way."

"Why?"

"Because, my temperamental young friend, you are a nuisance. You are
interfering with my plans. I can't be bothered with you."

The sudden spark that in the old days would have warned Devon's friends
of an impending outburst appeared now in his black eyes, but he kept his
temper.

"Would you mind confiding these plans to me?" he suggested. "They would
interest me, profoundly."

Shaw shook his sleek brown head.

"Oh, I couldn't do that," he said, with an indulgent smile. "But I have
a proposition to make to you. Perhaps you will listen to it, instead."

"I'll listen to it," Laurie promised.

"It is short and to the point. Give me your word that you will stop
meddling in Miss Mayo's affairs, which are also my affairs," he added
parenthetically, "and that you will never make an effort to see her
again. As soon as you have given me this promise, I will escort you to
the front door and bid you an eternal farewell, with great pleasure."

"I'm looking forward to that pleasure, myself," confessed the visitor.
"But before we throw ourselves into the delights of it, suppose you
outline the other side of your proposition. I suppose it _has_ another
side."

Shaw frowned at his cigar.

"It doesn't sound pretty," he confessed, with regret.

"I'll judge of that. Let's have it."

"Well,"--Shaw sighed, dropped the cigar into the tray at his elbow, and
sat up to face the young man with an entire change of manner--"The rest
of it," he said, calmly, "is this. Unless you make that promise we can't
have the farewell scene we are both looking forward to so eagerly."

"You mean--" Laurie was staring at him incredulously--"you mean you
don't intend to let me leave here?"

Shaw shrugged deprecating shoulders.

"Oh, surely! But not immediately."

His guest turned and addressed the fire.

"I never l