one brand. I had to pay a heavy duty to bring a sufficient stock
with me, but I had either to do it, or give up smoking. You will not
mind if I smoke this, instead of yours, which I have no doubt are very
much better."

"Oh, certainly not, if you wish," said Mr. Castlemaine rather coldly.

Ricordo bowed, and lit a cigar which he had taken from his own case. His
refusal either to take whisky or to smoke his host's cigars had caused a
feeling of restraint in the party.

"My cigars are a special brand," went on Ricordo. "They are no better
than others, I suppose, but I can smoke no others. I imagine the
constitution of the Easterns must be peculiar."

He looked at Olive as he spoke, and noted that she was watching him. As
their eyes met, she dropped hers. She had not spoken since she entered
the room.

"The manners and customs of those who live in the East are, of course,
very different from ours. And of course their ideas are different too."

"How so, signore?"

He lay back in his chair as he spoke, and closed his eyes, as one who is
enjoying a lazy contentment.

"Well, I suppose their ideas of hospitality are different. I have been
told that they will never partake of the fare of an enemy."

"Is not that right?"

"Then again, of course their customs are different, I suppose. They are
allowed a plurality of wives."

"And as a consequence many fail to marry at all."

"You seem to speak feelingly," laughed Sprague.

"Oh no, I assure you. I simply state a fact. For example, here am I, who
can no longer be called a boy, and who am an Eastern, am also a
celibate."

"You have never been married?"

"Never."

"Well," said Sprague, "there is nothing so wonderful in that. I am no
longer a boy, and I have never married."

"You make one curious," said Ricordo.

"How?"

"One would like to know why you, Mr. Sprague, who are evidently a
domestic kind of man, have never married."

"I will tell you on one condition."

"And that?"

"That you will tell me why you never married."

"I accept."

"Then I have never married because the only woman I ever wanted refused
to have me."

"And I have refrained from getting married because I am afraid."

"Afraid?"

"Exactly."

"Of what?"

"Of many things, signore, many things."

"You make me curious to know what those things are."

"To tell you would be to tell the story of another man's life," replied
Signor Ricordo gravely. "As you remarked, I am an Eastern