n't that letter enough?"

"Dearie, you're the most wonderful man I ever saw. Think of it!--a
letter from Mrs. Colby! I'll bet those Wilkinsons are swells!"

"They breathe the Colby stratum of the atmosphere. It's a special
stratum, designed and created for that select class."

"It's quite intoxicating."

"Special brands usually are."

"I thought those Western cities did n't have classes."

"My dear, blood is n't a matter of geography. There's not a village in
the United States that does n't have its classes. The more loudly they
brag of their democracy, the greater the distance from the top to the
bottom."

As Skinner said this, he jotted down in his little book:--

_Dress-Suit Account_

_Debit_ _Credit_

One "open sesame" to the
smartest set west of the
Alleghanies!

and Honey clapped her hands.

And as he put Mrs. Colby's letter in his inside pocket, Skinner
muttered to himself, "A climber, but does n't climb. She'll climb for
this all right!"

The Skinners reached St. Paul Tuesday night and registered at The
Hotel. When he had deposited Honey in the suite which had been
reserved by wire for them, Skinner proceeded to execute the next step
in his scheme for the reclamation of Willard Jackson. He returned to
the desk.

"I wish," he said to the chief clerk, "that you 'd see to it that a
paragraph regarding my arrival is put in the morning papers, just a
little more than mere mention among hotel arrivals"--he took pen and
paper and wrote--"something like this: 'William Manning Skinner, of
McLaughlin & Perkins, Inc., New York, reached town last evening and is
stopping at The Hotel.' There's a lot of people here I want to see,
but I might overlook 'em in the rush of business. If they know I'm
here, they'll come to see me."

"Very good, Mr. Skinner," said the clerk. "I'll see to it."

Skinner paused a moment. "By Jove, I've almost forgotten the principal
thing." He added a few words to the copy. "Put that in, too, please.
Can you read it? See: 'Mrs. Skinner, daughter of the late Archibald
Rutherford, of Hastings-on-the-Hudson, accompanies her husband.'
That's just to please her."

[Illustration: "Mrs. Skinner, daughter of the late Archibald
Rutherford, of Hastings-on-the-Hudson, accompanies her husband"]

"'Rutherford'--'Ha