eturned the President curtly, "you have made a mistake. This is
a private house, and you must leave it instantly."

The Prince had remained quietly in his seat throughout this little
colloquy; but now, when the Colonel looked over to him, as much as to
say, "Take your answer and come away, for God's sake!" he drew his
cheroot from his mouth, and spoke--

"I have come here," said he, "upon the invitation of a friend of yours.
He has doubtless informed you of my intention in thus intruding on your
party. Let me remind you that a person in my circumstances has
exceedingly little to bind him, and is not at all likely to tolerate
much rudeness. I am a very quiet man, as a usual thing; but, my dear
sir, you are either going to oblige me in the little matter of which you
are aware, or you shall very bitterly repent that you ever admitted me
to your ante-chamber."

The President laughed aloud.

"That is the way to speak," said he. "You are a man who is a man. You
know the way to my heart, and can do what you like with me. Will you,"
he continued, addressing Geraldine, "will you step aside for a few
minutes? I shall finish first with your companion, and some of the
club's formalities require to be fulfilled in private."

With the words he opened the door of a small closet, into which he shut
the Colonel.

"I believe in you," he said to Florizel, as soon as they were alone;
"but are you sure of your friend?"

"Not so sure as I am of myself, though he has more cogent reasons,"
answered Florizel, "but sure enough to bring him here without alarm. He
has had enough to cure the most tenacious man of life. He was cashiered
the other day for cheating at cards."

"A good reason, I daresay," replied the President; "at least, we have
another in the same case, and I feel sure of him. Have you also been in
the Service, may I ask?"

"I have," was the reply; "but I was too lazy--I left it early."

"What is your reason for being tired of life?" pursued the President.

"The same, as near as I can make out," answered the Prince:
"unadulterated laziness."

The President started. "D--n it," said he, "you must have something
better than that."

"I have no more money," added Florizel. "That is also a vexation,
without doubt. It brings my sense of idleness to an acute point."

The President rolled his cigar round in his mouth for some seconds,
directing his gaze straight into the eyes of this unusual neophyte; but
the Prince supporte