to possess mystic luck. When you put it in my hands it
glowed, and I thought it was hot. It seemed to burn me."

"You were excited, my boy," said the other genially. "But you repaid me
and invited me to dine. I could not accept, because I was forced to
leave for Spain that same evening. I promised, however, to call on you
when you needed me--and here I am."

He bowed to Karl and Olga, who stood in speechless astonishment at this
strange dialogue. She could understand nothing of this uncanny stranger;
this specter in black and white, who seemed to emit a lurid radiance as
if his red waistcoat were alive.

"It was kind of you to come," Karl said. "I am glad."

"You were not here when I entered," the visitor said, "and I took a seat
in that comfortable arm-chair. The warmth of the fire affected me, and
I permitted myself to fall asleep."

He indicated, with a sweeping gesture, the big pulpit-backed arm-chair.
Olga started and cried out:

"That chair was empty; I remember quite well, when my husband was here.
There was no one in it, I am absolutely certain."

Karl was so strangely affected by the stranger's presence that he did
not notice Olga's agitation. The other regarded her with his expression
of cynical amusement, bowed gravely and said:

"Then I was mistaken, madam."

"Won't you sit down?" Karl said. "Allow me to present you to--but I
can't remember your name."

"It does not matter," the other said with an expansive outward gesture
of his restless, eloquent hands. "I am a philanthropist, traveling
incognito. You may call me anything you like; call me Dr. Millar."

"Dr. Millar," Karl repeated, seeming for the first time to have some
doubt as to the character of his guest.

"Oh, you may rest assured my social position is beyond question," the
stranger said, as if divining his thought.

[Illustration: "CALL ME DR. MILLAR. MY SOCIAL POSITION IS BEYOND
QUESTION."--Page 40.

By Permission of Henry W. Savage.]

Karl did not heed the irony of his speech, but presented him to Olga,
who distantly acknowledged his bow. As Karl appeared to succumb to this
strange influence, she felt herself growing indignant. Millar seemed
bent on provoking an outburst, and his astonishing remarks in another
would have seemed vulgar insolence, but in him they possessed a singular
meaning that made both Karl and Olga shiver.

"Under different circumstances I should now take my hat and say
good-by," Millar said, after the intro