of extinction. It
had been his intention before sailing to dispose of many household
articles, either by sale or gift. As he did not expect to return to New
York before the latter part of August, this would minimize the
struggles of the last month. But the prospective "profit" to be
acquired from keeping his apartment open was not to be overlooked. He
could easily count upon a generous sum for salaries and running
expenses. Once on the other side of the Atlantic, he hoped that new
opportunities for extravagance would present themselves, and he fancied
he could leave the final settlement of his affairs for the last month.
As the day for sailing approached, the world again seemed bright to
this most mercenary of spendthrifts.

A farewell consultation with his attorneys proved encouraging, for to
them his chances to win the extraordinary contest seemed of the best.
He was in high spirits as he left them, exhilarated by the sensation
that the world lay before him. In the elevator he encountered Colonel
Prentiss Drew. On both sides the meeting was not without its
difficulties. The Colonel had been dazed by the inexplicable situation
between Monty and his daughter, whose involutions he found hard to
understand. Her summary of the effort she had made to effect a
reconciliation, after hearing the story of the bank, was rather vague.
She had done her utmost, she said, to be nice to him and make him feel
that she appreciated his generosity, but he took it in the most
disagreeable fashion. Colonel Drew knew that things were somehow wrong;
but he was too strongly an American father to interfere in a matter of
the affections. It distressed him, for he had a liking for Monty, and
Barbara's "society judgments," as he called them, had no weight with
him. When he found himself confronted with Brewster in the elevator,
the old warmth revived and the old hope that the quarrel might have an
end. His greeting was cheery.

"You have not forgotten, Brewster," he said, as they shook hands, "that
you have a dollar or two with us?"

"No," said Monty, "not exactly. And I shall be calling upon you for
some of it very soon. I'm off on Thursday for a cruise in the
Mediterranean."

"I've heard something of it." They had reached the main floor and
Colonel Drew had drawn his companion out of the crowd into the rotunda.
"The money is at your disposal at any moment. But aren't you setting a
pretty lively pace, my boy? You know I've always liked you