said her father. "Just what I've been
saying; and I hope our friend is not going on with this kind of business
too long. Now, really, Mr Lennard, you know you must not, and that's all
there is to it."

"Oh, no, I don't think you need be frightened of anything of that sort,"
said Lennard, who had considerably brightened up as Auriole entered the
room; "perhaps I may have been going a little too long without sleep;
but, you see, a man who has the great luck to discover a new comet is
something like one of the old navigators who discovered new islands and
continents. Of course you remember the story of Columbus. When he
thought he was going to find what is now the country which has had the
honour--"

"I know you're going to say something nice, Mr Lennard," interrupted
Auriole, "but breakfast is ready; here it comes. If you take my advice
you will have your coffee and something to eat and tell us the rest of
it while you're getting something that will do you good. What do you
think, Poppa?"

"Hard sense, Auriole, hard sense. Your mother used to talk just like
that, and I reckon you've got it from her. Well now, here's the food,
let's begin. I've got a hunger on me that I'd have wanted five dollars
to stop at the time when I couldn't buy a breakfast."

They sat down, Miss Auriole at the head of the table and her father and
Lennard facing each other, and for the next few minutes there was a
semi-silence which was very well employed in the commencement of one of
the most important functions of the human day.

When Mr Parmenter had got through his first cup of coffee, his two
poached eggs on toast, and was beginning on the fish, he looked across
the table and said:

"Well now, Mr Lennard, I guess you're feeling a bit better, as I do, and
so, maybe, you can tell us something new about comets."

"I certainly am feeling better," said Lennard with a glance at Auriole,
"but, you see, I've got into a state of mind which is not unlike the
physical state of the Red Indian who starves for a few days and then
takes his meals, I mean the arrears of meals, all at once. When I have
had a good long sleep, as I am going to have until to-night, I might--in
fact, I hope I shall be able to tell you something definite about the
question of the comet."

"What--the question?" echoed Mr Parmenter. "About the comet? I didn't
understand that there was any question. You have discovered it, haven't
you?"

"I have made a certain discovery, M