entlemen fled at his approach and instructed their retainers to make
untruthful statements as to their whereabouts. Daily letters from
Captain Brisket stated that he was still haggling with Mr. Todd over the
price, and Mr. Chalk quailed as he tried to picture the scene with that
doughty champion.

[Illustration: "Instructed their retainers to make untruthful statements
as to their whereabouts."]

Three times at the earnest instigation of his friends, who pointed out
the necessity of keeping up appearances, had he set out to pay a visit
to Dialstone Lane, and three times had he turned back half-way as he
realized the difficult nature of his task. As well ask a poacher to call
on a gamekeeper the morning after a raid.

Captain Bowers, anxious to see him and sound him with a few
carefully-prepared questions, noted his continued absence with regret.
Despairing at last of a visit from Mr. Chalk, he resolved to pay one
himself.

Mr. Chalk, who was listening to his wife, rose hastily at his entrance,
and in great confusion invited him to a chair which was already occupied
by Mrs. Chalk's work-basket. The captain took another and, after
listening to an incoherent statement about the weather, shook his head
reproachfully at Mr. Chalk.

"I thought something must have happened to you," he said. "Why, it must
be weeks since I've seen you."

"Weeks?" said Mrs. Chalk, suddenly alert.

"Why, he went out the day before yesterday to call on you."

"Yes," said Mr. Chalk, with an effort, "so I did, but half-way to yours I
got a nail in my shoe and had to come home."

"Home!" exclaimed his wife. "Why, you were gone two hours and
thirty-five minutes."

"It was very painful," said Mr. Chalk, as the captain stared in open-eyed
astonishment at this exact time-keeping. "One time I thought that I
should hardly have got back."

"But you didn't say anything about it," persisted his wife.

"I didn't want to alarm you, my dear," said Mr. Chalk.

Mrs. Chalk looked at him, but, except for a long, shivering sigh which
the visitor took for sympathy, made no comment.

"I often think that I must have missed a great deal by keeping single,"
said the latter. "It must be very pleasant when you're away to know that
there is somebody at home counting the minutes until your return."

Mr. Chalk permitted himself one brief wondering glance in the speaker's
direction, and then gazed out of window.

"There's no companion like a wife," con