in a deep sigh. I expect he thinks he's told
the whole story.

"I take it," says I, "that you did meet dear old daddy?"

"Washn't so very old, at thash," says Ernie. "No. Nor such a dear.
Looksh like--like Teddy Roosh'velt. Behavesh like Teddy, too.
Im--impeshuous. Very firsh thing he says is, 'And who the devil are
you?' 'Guesh?' I tells him. 'Give you three guesshes.' He--he's no good
as guessher, daddy. Grabsh me by the collar. 'You, you loafer!' says he.
Then the lovely Louishe comes to rescue. 'Can't you see, daddy?' she
tells him. 'It's Ernie. Found him at lash.' 'Ernie who?' demandsh daddy.
'I--I forget,' says Louishe. 'Bah!' saysh daddy. 'Lash time it was
Harold, wasn't it?' 'Naughty, naughty!' saysh I. 'Mustn't tell talesh.
Bad form, daddy. Lessh all be calm now and--and we'll tell you about
dinner--bubblesh in the glass, 'n'everything. Louishe and I. Lovely
girl, Louishe. Affecshonate nashur.' And thash as far as I got.
Different nashur, daddy."

"I gather that he didn't insist on your staying?" says I.

No, he hadn't. As near as I could make out dear old daddy took a firm
grip on Ernie in two places, and while the fine old butler held the
front door open he got more impetuous than ever. As Ernie tells me about
it he rubs himself reminiscent and gazes sorrowful at his dented derby.

"Mosh annoying," says he. "Couldn't even shay good night to lovely
Louishe."

"Oh, well," says I. "You can make up for that when you pay your dinner
call. By the way, where was this home of the lovely Louise?"

Ernie doesn't know. When he'd arrived he was too busy to notice the
street and number, and when he came out he was too much annoyed. Also he
didn't remember having heard Louise's last name.

"Huh!" says I. "Except for that everything is all clear, eh? It strikes
me, Ernie, as if you'd worked up a perfectly good mystery. You've been
kidnapped by a lovely lady, had a swell dinner, with plenty of fizz on
the side, been introduced to a strong-arm father, and finished on the
sidewalk with your lid caved in. And for an assistant auditor who
blushes as easy as you do that's what I call kind of a large evening."

Ernie nods. Then he chuckles to himself, sort of satisfied, and remarks
mushy: "Lovely girl, Louishe."

"Yes, we've admitted all that," says I. "But who the blazes is she?"

Ernie rumples his hair thoughtful and then shakes his head.

"But during all that time didn't she say anything about herself, or give
yo