ng room was then ushered a tall, smartly dressed,
smooth-faced man of perhaps middle age, with yellowish hair compactly
plastered to his head. He became, I thought, suddenly alert as he
crossed my threshold. I arose to greet him.

"This is--" I had to glance at the card.

"Yes--and you're Major Blake? I regret to disturb you, Major,"--here his
glance rested blankly upon the rich golden-brown surface of Clem's
omelette, and it seemed to me that the thread of his intention was
broken for an instant by a fit of absentmindedness. He resumed his
speech only after an appreciable pause, as if the omelette had reminded
him of something.

"The hour is untimely, but I'm told that you're a friend of a Mrs.
Lansdale, who has some pieces of Colonial furniture she wishes to let
go. I wondered, you know, if you'd be good enough to introduce me. I
rather thought some such formality might be advisable--I understand that
a shark named Cohen has already approached her."

Even as he spoke I recalled that Mr. Cohen's face, in profile, might
provoke the vision of a shark to a person of lively imagination.

"I shall be glad," I said, "to present you to Mrs. Lansdale."

Again had my caller's glance trailed across the breakfast table, where
the omelette, the muffins, and the coffee-urn waited. The glance was
politely unnoting, but in it there yet lurked, far back, the
unmistakable quality of a caress. In an instant I remembered, and, with
a pang of sympathy, I became his hungered brother.

"By the way, Mr. Price, are you staying at the City Hotel?"

"The man said it was the only place, you know."

"You had breakfast there this morning?" He bowed his assent eloquently,
I thought.

"Then by all means sit down and have breakfast."

"Oh, _really_, no--by _no_ means--I assure you I'd a capital
breakfast--"

"Clem!"

Clem placed a chair, into which Mr. Price dropped without loss of time,
though protesting with polished vehemence against the imposition.

His eyes shone, nevertheless, as Clem set a cup of coffee at his elbow
and brought a plate.

"May I ask when you arrived?" I questioned.

"Only last evening."

"Then you dined at the City Hotel?"

"Major Blake, I will be honest with you--I _did!_"

"Clem, another omelette, quick--but first fetch some oranges, then put
on a lot more of that Virginia ham and mix up some waffles, too. Hurry
along!"

"Really, you are very good, Major."

"Not that," I answered modestly; "I've me