his spectacles and said decisively:

"Well, then, you had better start for England at once and take
possession of your property under the will and entail. There will be a
number of legal formalities to go through. I will advise our London
office that you are coming. This is Tuesday. Could you sail on the
_Florida_ next Saturday?"

"I can," replied Armitage quickly.

The lawyer went to his desk and sat down to write. A moment later he
returned with a piece of paper in his hand. Holding it out, he said:

"Of course you can't go dressed as you are. Here's a check for $1,000.
It will pay your passage and your immediate needs. When you arrive in
England, you can, of course, draw on our London office for all you
want. You had better hurry now to book your passage and buy some
clothes, and this evening if you have nothing else to do I shall be
delighted if you'll dine with me at the Union League Club."

He touched a bell, and the supercilious clerk entered. By the sneer on
his face, he evidently expected that he had been summoned to eject the
rough-looking visitor. To his astonishment, he saw his employer shaking
hands with him.

Mr. Willoughby accompanied Armitage into the outer office.

"Good-by, Sir John," he said cordially. "I'm delighted to have made your
acquaintance. Don't forget to-night. Union League Club, at 7 o'clock."

The two clerks nearly swooned from amazement and consternation. As
Armitage went down in the elevator he pinched himself to find out if he
was awake.

When he emerged into Broad Street he was surprised to find how different
everything looked to him. The world had suddenly taken on another
aspect. The sunshine seemed brighter. Every man and woman he met seemed
more amiable and friendly. The whole world seemed gayer, more joyous. He
felt within him a strange novel sensation of exhilaration. His
moodiness, his pessimism had disappeared. He felt imbued with new life
and energy, as if he could go forth and conquer a world. From less than
nothing to a title and $100,000 a year is a jump big enough to daze any
man.

Suddenly he thought of Grace. If only he had received this news a few
weeks before! Things might have been very different. Well, what was the
use of torturing himself any longer? She was lost to him now--no matter
how changed his circumstances and position.

He stood still, at the edge of the curb, irresolute, not knowing what to
do next. Putting his hand in his pocket to feel if t