Quarrier.

"Is it?" returned Quarrier in a low voice.

"I suppose so," sneered Mortimer. "Did you expect to find me here?"

"No. Did you expect to find me?" asked the other, with emphasis
unmistakable.

"What do you mean?" demanded Mortimer hoarsely. "What the devil do you
mean by asking me if I expected to find you here? If I had, I'd not have
travelled down to your office to-day to see you; I'd have come here for
you. Naturally people suppose that an engaged man is likely to give up
this sort of thing."

Quarrier, motionless, white to the lips, turned his eyes from one to the
other.

"It doesn't look very well, does it?" asked Mortimer; and he stood
there, smiling, danger written all over him. "It's beginning rather
early," he continued, with a sneer. "Most engaged men with a conscience
wait until they're married before they return to the gay and frivolous.
But here you are, it seems, handsome, jolly, and irresistible as ever!"

Quarrier looked at Lydia, and his lips moved: "You asked me to come," he
said.

"No; you offered to. I wished to talk to you over the wire, but "--her
lip curled, and she shrugged her shoulders--"you seemed to be afraid of
something or other."

"I couldn't talk to you in my own house, with guests in the room."

"Why not? Did I say anything your fashionable guests might take
exception to? Am I likely to do anything of that kind?--you coward!"

Quarrier stood very still, then noiselessly turned and made one step
toward the door.

"One moment," interposed Mortimer blandly. "As long as I travelled down
town to see you, and find you here so unexpectedly, I may as well take
advantage of this opportunity to regulate a little matter. You don't
mind our talking shop for a moment, Lydia? Thank you. It's just a little
business matter between Mr. Quarrier and myself--a matter concerning a
few shares of stock which I once held in one of his companies, bought at
par, and tumbled to ten and--What is the fraction, Quarrier? I forget."

Quarrier thought deeply for a moment; then he raised his head, looking
full at Mortimer, and under his silky beard an edge of teeth glimmered.
"Did you wish me to take back those shares at par?" he asked.

"Exactly! I knew you would! I knew you'd see it in that way!" cried
Mortimer heartily. "Confound it all, Quarrier, I've always said you were
that sort of man--that you'd never let a friend in on the top floor, and
kick him clear to the cellar! As a matter of