ly
coming off. Old Sam told me so, and he means every word of it. And he
was to let you know when. That's it, he was to LET YOU KNOW. That's
another thing he told me to tell you."

The child's name was now called from the top of the stairs, and the
Gossburger's head craned itself over the hand-rail. Fudge opened with a
sharp bark, and Masie, with an air kiss to Ganger, raced up the steps,
the dog at her heels, shouting as she ran: "Tell Mr. Dogger I send him a
kiss, and I thank him ever so much, and won't he please come and see me
very soon."

When she had disappeared, the old fellow leaned forward, gazed knowingly
at Felix, and in soft-pedal tones said:

"You see, Sam couldn't say EXACTLY when the party was to take place
because--well, because he hasn't heard a word about it, and won't until
I get back. It is my party, not Sam's, and I've got to break it to him
gently. And I've got to fool him about the party, make him think it's
his party, or he'll think I'm holding it over him because I've got a
little more money than he has, just as I intend to fool him about the
picture. I couldn't say, when you asked me, when the day was to be
fixed, because I've told lies enough to that dear child. But I know just
what Sam will do when I tell him about his party; he'll stand on his
head he'll be so happy. You see if, when I unwrapped the picture, you
had talked ten dollars right out, why then I was going to make it next
Saturday; that is, to-morrow. But you hemmed and hawed so, I had to make
it 'some day soon.' Of course, I never expected the fifty; ten will be
enough for car-fare all around and some beer and sandwiches, that's all
we ever have. That's why I chucked in Augustus to make sure. Well, see
what you can do, and don't forget to write the note and I'll do the rest
of the lying." And chuckling to himself he hurried away.

As the door swung wide, a slim man bustled past him, and, spying Felix,
moved briskly to where he stood. He had just ten minutes to spare, he
announced, and was looking for a present for his wife; "something in the
way of fans, old ones, and not over five dollars."

Felix, who had raised the lid of the case and was stowing Dogger's
masterpiece inside to keep it out of harm's way, his mind wholly
occupied with the two old painters and their tenderness toward each
other, roused himself to answer:

"Yes, half a dozen. Not at your price, though, not old ones. Here are
two fairly good specimens," and h