tle.

"By jove,--you're right. Thanks! Habits are beastly things, you know.
Better rid myself of all my old ties if I'm to start afresh, eh!"

He pulled out the monocle, jerked the cord from his neck, snapped the
glass between his fingers and tossed the lot into the roadway.

Something in the spontaneous act went to Phil's heart and he felt from
that moment that here was a man he could like despite his strange
exterior.

They passed through the bar of the Kenora, which was the only way one
could get admittance to that hotel unless by the back door among empty
cans and kitchen garbage. The strange apparition of the Englishman
reduced everyone in the saloon to funereal silence. Phil bravely led
the way, however, without mishap, except for a distant shout of
laughter which reached them at the dining-room.

Phil spoke to the hotel clerk, who shouted for the bell boy.

"Follow that boy," said Phil. "He will fix you up."

"Thanks! If you don't mind, I should like to have my bite with you,
old chap. I won't be a jiffy."

And off he strutted after the grinning boy, while Phil sat in five
minutes' dreamy contemplation.

Back came Percival DeRue Hannington, spick and span as far as a
clothes-brush and soap and water could make him.

"By jove! It's a corker how much dirt can stick to a fellow without
falling off," he remarked. "What are you having?"

Phil named something light.

"That all?" asked Hannington. "I'm hungry as a blooming hawk. I
haven't had a decent bite for three months.

"Everything on the blessed calendar for me, miss, frills and extras
included," he went on, addressing the waitress, who went away with the
end of her apron in her mouth.

"You know, Mister--Mister----"

"Phil Ralston!"

"Ah, yes! Mister Phil----"

"Just plain Phil!"

"Phil--yes, excuse me! You know, I came out to this bally country on
false pretences, as it were. Oh,--the country's all right! Don't
misunderstand me. It's a regular ripper, but, damme, I got done, you
know."

The soup came along, and DeRue Hannington fumbled for his monocle but
suddenly seemed to remember that it was no longer a part of him. He
blundered awkwardly a while, as if he had suddenly been deprived of
one of his active members.

"It's this way, Mister, eh, Phil. The guv'nor thought I was going the
pace too hard and becoming a bally rotter, so he said I had to go out
West and be a rawncher. He said it just like that,--as if being a
rawncher was as