east I ain't found anything wrong with it yet."

"Oh! Say, look here! you're a queer guy, you are. I ain't got you right
in my mind yet. One minute butter wouldn't melt in your mouth, and the
next you're fresh as a new egg. What IS your little game, anyway? You've
got one, so don't tell me you ain't."

Captain Cy was plainly embarrassed. He gazed at the "Shore to Shore"
picture on the wall as he answered.

"No game about it," he said. "Last night you and I agreed that nothin'
was to be said for a few days. You was to stay here and I'd try to make
you comfort'ble, that's all. Then we'd see about that other matter,
settle on a fair price, and--"

"Yes, I know. That's all right. But you're too willin'. There's
something else. Say!" The ugly scowl was in evidence again. "Say, look
here, you! you ain't got somethin' up your sleeve, have you? There ain't
somethin' more that I don't know about, is there? No more secrets than
that--"

"No! You hear me? No! You'll get your rights, and maybe a little more
than your rights, if you're decent. And it'll pay you to be decent."

"Humph!" Mr. Smith seemed to be thinking. Then he added, looking up
keenly under his brows: "How about the--the incumbrance on the property?
Of course, when I go I'll have to take that with me, and--"

Captain Cy interrupted.

"There! there!" he exclaimed, and there was a shake in his voice,
"there! there! Don't let's talk about such things now. I--I--Let's wait
a spell. We'll have some more plans to make, maybe. If you want to use
my razor it's right in that drawer. Just help yourself."

The visitor laughed aloud. He nodded as if satisfied. "Ho! ho!" he
chuckled. "I see! Humph! yes--I see. The fools ain't all dead, and
there's none to beat an old one. Well! well! All right, pard! I guess
you and me'll get along fine. I've changed my mind; I WILL go to the
barber shop, after all. Only I'm a little shy of dust just at present.
So, to oblige a friend, maybe you'll hand over, huh?"

The captain reached into his pocket, extracted a two-dollar bill, and
passed it to the speaker. Mr. Smith smiled and shook his head.

"You can't come in on that, pard," he said. "The limit's five."

Captain Cy took back the bill and exchanged it for one with a V in each
corner. The visitor took it and turned toward the door.

"Ta! ta!" he said, taking his hat from the peg in the dining room.
"I'm off for the clippers. When I come back I'll be the sweetest little
Willie