s arrival
and the visit of the proprietor, he had arranged his affairs for any
absence that would be necessary.

When Mr. Belcher came in, looking from side to side, with the air of a
man who owned all he saw, even the clerks, who respectfully bowed to him
as he passed, he found Mr. Talbot waiting; also, a bunch of the
costliest cigars.

"I remembered your weakness, you see," said Talbot.

"Toll, you're a jewel," said Mr. Belcher, drawing out one of the
fragrant rolls and lighting it.

"Now, before we go a step," said Talbot, "you must agree to come to my
house to-morrow night to dinner, and meet some of my friends. When you
come to New York, you'll want to know somebody."

"Toll, I tell you you're a jewel."

"And you'll come?"

"Well, you know I'm not rigged exactly for that sort of thing, and,
faith, I'm not up to it, but I suppose all a man has to do is to put on
a stiff upper lip, and take it as it comes."

"I'll risk you anywhere."

"All right! I'll be there."

"Six o'clock, sharp;--and now let's go and find a broker. I know the
best one in the city, and I'll show you the inside of more fine houses
before night than you have ever seen."

Talbot took the proprietor's arm and led him to a carriage in waiting.
Then he took him to Pine street, and introduced him, in the most
deferential manner, to the broker who held half of New York at his
disposal, and knew the city as he knew his alphabet.

The broker took the pair of house-hunters to a private room, and
unfolded a map of the city before them. On this he traced, with a
well-kept finger-nail, a series of lines,--like those fanciful
isothermal definitions that embrace the regions of perennial summer on
the range of the Northern Pacific Railroad,--within which social
respectability made its home. Within certain avenues and certain
streets, he explained that it was a respectable thing to live. Outside
of these arbitrary boundaries, nobody who made any pretense to
respectability should buy a house. The remainder of the city, was for
the vulgar--craftsmen, petty shopkeepers, salaried men, and the
shabby-genteel. He insisted that a wealthy man, making an entrance upon
New York life, should be careful to locate himself somewhere upon the
charmed territory which he defined. He felt in duty bound to say this to
Mr. Belcher, as he was a stranger; and Mr. Belcher was, of course,
grateful for the information.

Then he armed Mr. Talbot, as Mr. Belcher's city fri