rehen', monsieur."

"No matter--trust me--see what's happened since yesterday," and he
waved his hand at the busy corridor.

"Oh, eet iss kolossal!" cried Pelletan. "I shall nefer cease to atmire
monsieur. Perhaps," he suggested timidly, "since he hass peen so
successful, monsieur may pe tempted to remain permanently. Surely he
would pe one great success! In a year--two year--we would eclipse
Ostend--monsieur himself hass said eet!"

"No," laughed the other, "I don't think I'd care to remain. Though, of
course," he added, "the possibility of great success is always
fascinating."

"Oh, eet iss more t'an a possibility," cried Pelletan. "Eet is a
certainty."

"A certainty is not so fascinating as a possibility," the American
pointed out, his eyes twinkling.

"Unt t'en," continued Pelletan, persuasively, fancying, no doubt, that
he saw some signs of yielding in his partner's face, "eef monsieur
remains, he can haf t'e house done ofer to suit heem; he can t'row away
t'e furniture he does not like; he can paint out t'e marble columns; he
can cause all t'e servants to pe tressed to hees taste. He would make
one grand sensation! T'e house would pe t'e talk of Europe, tint we
would soon pe reech--oh, reech!" and the little Frenchman stretched his
arms wide to indicate the vast extent of the wealth that was awaiting
them.

But Rushford shook his head.

"No, Pelletan," he said; "no, I really can't do it. It's utterly
impossible, or your impassioned eloquence would certainly prevail.
There's nothing I'd like better than to show the hotel-keepers of Europe
a thing or two--they are more conceited with less reason for being so
than any other class of men I know. But I've got to go back to America
before long to look after my business there. Besides, I don't really
feel that hotel-keeping is my lifework. I'm afraid it would pall upon me
after a time. But I tell you what I'll do, if you wish, Pelletan. I'll
tear up the agreement and say no more about it. You may have all the
profits."

"Oh!" cried the Frenchman, dazzled by this munificence, by the golden
vision which danced before his eyes. Then he hesitated. With his
partner's marvellous influence withdrawn, might not the whole wonderful
structure come tumbling about his ears? It would be like pulling out the
foundation! What would prevent his guests from packing up and leaving
to-morrow? "No, monsieur," he said, slowly, at last, "I prefer eet as
eet iss."

"Very well,"