ker."

"Very good, sir."

The valet withdrew, and Mr. Brewster resumed his lunch.

"Aren't you going to open it?" asked Professor Binstead, to whom a
telegram was a telegram.

"It can wait. I get them all day long. I expect it's from Lucille,
saying what train she's making."

"She returns to-day?"

"Yes, Been at Miami." Mr. Brewster, having dwelt at adequate length on
the contents of the chafing-dish, adjusted his glasses and took up the
envelope. "I shall be glad--Great Godfrey!"

He sat staring at the telegram, his mouth open. His friend eyed him
solicitously.

"No bad news, I hope?"

Mr. Brewster gurgled in a strangled way.

"Bad news? Bad--? Here, read it for yourself."

Professor Binstead, one of the three most inquisitive men in New York,
took the slip of paper with gratitude.

"'Returning New York to-day with darling Archie,'" he read. "'Lots of
love from us both. Lucille.'" He gaped at his host. "Who is Archie?" he
enquired.

"Who is Archie?" echoed Mr. Brewster helplessly. "Who is--? That's just
what I would like to know."

"'Darling Archie,'" murmured the professor, musing over the telegram.
"'Returning to-day with darling Archie.' Strange!"

Mr. Brewster continued to stare before him. When you send your only
daughter on a visit to Miami minus any entanglements and she mentions
in a telegram that she has acquired a darling Archie, you are naturally
startled. He rose from the table with a bound. It had occurred to him
that by neglecting a careful study of his mail during the past week,
as was his bad habit when busy, he had lost an opportunity of keeping
abreast with current happenings. He recollected now that a letter had
arrived from Lucille some time ago, and that he had put it away unopened
till he should have leisure to read it. Lucille was a dear girl, he had
felt, but her letters when on a vacation seldom contained anything that
couldn't wait a few days for a reading. He sprang for his desk, rummaged
among his papers, and found what he was seeking.

It was a long letter, and there was silence in the room for some
moments while he mastered its contents. Then he turned to the professor,
breathing heavily.

"Good heavens!"

"Yes?" said Professor Binstead eagerly. "Yes?"

"Good Lord!"

"Well?"

"Good gracious!"

"What is it?" demanded the professor in an agony.

Mr. Brewster sat down again with a thud.

"She's married!"

"Married!"

"Married! To an Englishman!"

"Bless