virtues for a subsistence, I 'm not surprised
to see you out at elbows," said Davis, roughly.

"Not so, Kit,--not so," said the other, blandly, in rebuke. "There 's a
great deal of weak good-nature always floating about life. The world is
full of fellows with 'Pray take me in' written upon them."

"I can only vouch for it very few have come in my way," said Davis, with
a harsh laugh.

"So much the better for _them_," said Paul, gravely.

A pause of considerable duration now ensued between them, broken, at
last, by Davis abruptly saying, "Is it not a strange thing, it was only
last night I was saying to myself, 'What the deuce has become of Holy
Paul?--the newspapers have seemingly forgotten him. It can't be that he
is dead.'"

"Lazarus only sleepeth," said Classon; "and, indeed, my last eleven
weeks here seem little other than a disturbed sleep."

Continuing his own train of thought, Davis went on, "If I could chance
upon him now, he's just the fellow I want, or, rather, that I may want."

"If it is a lampoon or a satire you 're thinking of, Kit, I 've given
them up; I make no more blistering ointments, but turn all my skill to
balsams. They give no trouble in compounding, and pay even better. Ah,
Davis, my worthy friend, what a mistake it is to suppose that a man must
live by his talents, while his real resource is his temperament. For a
life of easy enjoyment, that blessed indolence that never knew a care,
it is heart, not head, is needed."

"All I can say is, that with the fellows I 've been most with, heart had
very little to do with them, and the best head was the one that least
trusted his neighbors."

"A narrow view, my dear friend,--a narrow view, take my word for it; as
one goes on in life he thinks better of it."

A malicious grin was all the answer Davis made to this remark. At last
he turned his eyes full upon the other, and in a low but distinct voice
said: "Let us have no more of this, Paul. If we are to play, let us
play, as the Yankees say, without the 'items,'--no cheating on either
side. Don't try the Grand Benevolence dodge with me,--don't. When I said
awhile ago, I might want you, it was no more than I meant. You _may_ be
able to render me a service,--a great service."

"Say how," said Classon, drawing his chair nearer to him,--"say how,
Kit, and you'll not find the terms exorbitant."

"It's time enough to talk about the stakes when we are sure the match
will come off," said Davis, cau