ate confab, Randall and Armstrong
drifted instinctively upstairs to the former's den for their after-dinner
smoke. In absolute well-being, too keen almost for words, Armstrong
dropped into a big leather chair, facing his host.

"By Jove, Harry," he commented explosively, "I tell you this is something
like living. I never enjoyed myself so much before in my life."

Harry Randall, decidedly stouter than the Randall of professor days,
smiled appreciatively as he selected a cigar from the convenient
humidor.

"Yes, the world does look rather bright to me to-night, I'll admit," he
acquiesced.

"Bright!" Armstrong laughed outright in pure animal exuberance. "It's
positively dazzling: the more so by comparison." He looked at his
companion with the frank understanding of those long and intimately
acquainted. "What a change a few short years can make sometimes, can't
they? What an incredible change!"

Harry Randall returned the look, but gravely this time.

"Yes, I've been thinking of that all the evening," he said simply.

"So have I." Armstrong laughed shortly; "that is, when I haven't been too
irresponsibly happy to think at all. Just to get my bearings I tried to
fancy myself back where I was once when I came to tell my troubles to
you; and went to pieces at the end of the narrative." He gestured
eloquently. "What a fool I was and what a liar to swear I'd never do any
more literary work, or permit a book of mine to be published in any
circumstances, ever!" Once more the gesture, ending in an
all-comprehensive shrug. "Bah! I don't like to think of it. The whole
thing's a nightmare, neither more nor less!"

Again Harry Randall did not smile.

"Yes; the past was a little that way," he echoed again.

For perhaps half a minute Armstrong smoked in reminiscent gravity;
swiftly as the shadow had intruded it passed.

"Let's forget it," he proposed, "forget it absolutely and never speak of
it again. By the way, do you own this place now?"

"No; Roberts still holds it. I made him an offer before he went away last
Summer, but he wouldn't even consider it then. I'll try again when he
returns. Margery wants it badly."

"When he returns? Is he coming back soon?"

"I judge so, although I've had no word. There were a number of letters
and telegrams came for him yesterday, and a batch of them to-day. I
suspect that he intended being here to-night and is delayed for some
reason." Randall removed his glasses and polished them w