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a king off into the dark, and another rises immediately in his place. Futility, futility everywhere! If only there were some way of dynamiting habit and custom! I am a Russian; all my family are perishing in Siberian mines,"--dismally. "Fudge!" said the girl. "Tommy-rot!" said the amiable old gentleman. "Uncle, his hair is too short for an anarchist." "And his collar too immaculate." (So the old gentleman was this charming creature's uncle!) "We are obliged to disguise ourselves at times," I explained. "The police are always meddling. It is discouraging." "You have some purpose, humorous or serious," said the girl shrewdly. "A man does not bring a pack of cards--" "I didn't bring them; I sent out for them." "--bring a pack of cards here simply to attract attention," she continued tranquilly. "Perhaps I am a prestidigitator in a popular dime-museum," I suggested, willing to help her out, "and am doing a little advertising." "Now, that has a plausible sound," she admitted, folding her hands under her chin. "It must be an interesting life. _Presto--change_! and all that." "Oh, I find it rather monotonous in the winter; but in the summer it is fine. Then I wander about the summer resorts and give exhibitions." "You will pardon my niece," interpolated the old gentleman, coughing a bit nervously. "If she annoys you--" "Uncle!"--reproachfully. "Heaven forfend!" I exclaimed eagerly. "There is a charm in doing unconventional things; and most people do not realize it, and are stupid." "Thank you, sir," said the girl, smiling. She was evidently enjoying herself; so was I, for that matter. "Do a trick for me," she commanded presently. I smiled weakly. I couldn't have done a trick with the cards,--not if my life had depended upon it. But I rather neatly extricated myself from the trap. "I never do any tricks out of business hours." "Uncle, give the gentleman ten cents; I want to see him do a sleight-of-hand trick." Her uncle, readily entering into the spirit of the affair, dived into a pocket and produced the piece of silver. It looked as if I were caught. "There! this may make it worth your while," the girl said, shoving the coin in my direction. But again I managed to slide under; I was not to be caught. "It is my regret to say,"--frowning slightly, "that regularity in my business is everything. It wants half an hour for my turn to come on. If I tried a trick o
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