l in themselves
because so unexpected.

These outlooks, too, were useful in solving many of the social problems
that afflicted the young men about town; the identity, for instance,
of the occupant of the hansom who had just driven past, heavily veiled,
together with her destination and her reason for being out at all; why
the four-in-hand went up empty and came back with a pretty woman beside
the "Tooler," and then turned up a side street toward the Park, instead
of taking the Avenue into its confidence; what the young wife of the old
doctor meant when she waved her hand to the occupant of a third-story
window, and who lived there, and why--None of their business, of
course--never could be--but each and every escapade, incident and
adventure being so much thrice-blessed manna to souls stranded in the
desert waste of club conversation.

None of these things interested our hero, and he soon found himself
listening to the talk at an adjoining table. Topping, a young lawyer,
Whitman Bunce, a man of leisure--unlimited leisure--and one or two
others, were rewarming some of the day's gossip.

"Had the gall to tell Bob's man he couldn't sleep in linen sheets; had
his own violet silk ones in his trunk, to match his pajamas. The goat
had 'em out and half on the bed when Bob came in and stopped him. Awful
row, I heard, when Mrs. Bob got on to it. He'll never go there again."

"And I heard," broke in Bunce, "that she ordered the trap and sent him
back to the station."

Other bits drifted Jack's way:

"Why he was waiting at the stage-door and she slipped out somewhere in
front. Billy was with her, so I heard.... When they got to Delmonico's
there came near being a scrap.... No.... Never had a dollar on Daisy
Belle, or any other horse...."

Loud laughter was now heard at the end of the hall. A party of young
men had reached the foot of the stairs and were approaching Biffton and
Jack. Garry's merry voice led the others.

"Still hard at work, are you, Biffy? Why, hello, Jack!--how long have
you been here? Morlon, you know Mr. Breen, don't you?--Yes, of course
you do--new member--just elected. Get a move on that carcass of yours,
Biffy, and let somebody else get up to that table. Charles, take the
orders."

Jack had shaken everybody's hand by this time, Biffton having moved back
a foot or two, and the circle had widened so that the poker party could
reach their cocktails. Garry extended his arm till his hand rested on
Jack'