absence. Dave dear, you are ever so fond of Baby too. Won't you come in
every day, and you must telegraph, if you don't find him getting along
as well as he should, or use the long distance telephone."

She was much agitated, and I saw how hard it was on her to leave the
dear little man behind. But Frances is the sort of woman who keeps her
promises. She has given her word and will go!

So we dined together, that evening, with Frieda, and we saw Frances away
to the train and put her on board the sleeper and returned home, and
Frieda spoke a great deal and told me about the sale of her latest
picture and all that she expected from the one she was going to exhibit
at the winter Salon. It was only after I had left her that I realized
the dear soul had been trying to divert my thoughts.

In the morning came the telegram from the marine department of the cable
company. The _Rochambeau_ would dock at eleven. I was at the waterside
an hour earlier, devoured with impatience and anxiety, thinking of a
thousand alarming possibilities. Finally, the big ship appeared, far
down the stream, and slowly came up. I scanned the decks as soon as
people could be distinguished, but could see no sign of my friend.

At last, the steamer was warped into the dock after three puffing tugs
had pushed and shoved her for the longest time, and the passengers began
to come off, and still he did not show up and the gang plank was nearly
bare of people. I seized upon a steward bearing ashore a load of
suitcases and bags and asked him whether there was not a Mr. McGrath on
board.

"_Certainement, Monsieur_, there he is coming now," replied the man,
hurrying away.

I might not have recognized him, so pale and thin did he look, but it
was Gordon all right, at the head of the trussed gangway, and he waved a
hand at me. A man preceded him, carrying some baggage.

"Hello, Gordon!" I shouted joyfully, in spite of the shock his sharp,
worn features had given me.

"Hello, Dave!" he cried back.

A moment later he was down on the dock, stepping lightly, and I pushed
my hand out towards him, eager for the strong grasp of former days.

"You'll have to take the left, old boy. The right one's behind,
somewhere in Belgium. Wait a moment and I'll give you my keys, Dave. I
have to keep everything in my lefthand pockets, so they're crowded. Yes,
I have them. I suppose that my trunk is already ashore. Do try and get
a customs' officer for me and hurry the thing