y to Lewis.

"I'm not going to London," he said. "I'm going to Naples direct. Old
Ivory will wait for me there. You'll be going to London, I suppose."

For the first time Lewis felt far away from his father. He flushed. He
felt like crying, because it came upon him suddenly that he was far away
from his father, that they had been traveling different roads for many
days. Pride came to his aid.

"Yes," he said, steadily, "I shall go to London."

Leighton nodded and turned to Nelton. He gave him a string of rapid
orders, to which Nelton answered with his frequent and unfailing: "Yes,
sir. Thank you, sir."

"Wait here," said Leighton. "I'm going to answer this."

He hurried away, and Lewis, feeling unaccountably tired, sat down on a
divan. Nelton remained on guard beside the bags, repulsing the attacks
of too anxious bell-boys. To him came a large, heavy-faced person,
pensively plying a toothpick.

"Say, young feller," he said, "how much do you get?"

Nelton stared, dumfounded, at the stranger.

"How much do I get?" he stammered.

"Yep, just that," said the stranger. "What's your pay?"

Helton's face turned a brick red. He glared steadily into the stranger's
eyes, but said nothing.

"Well, well, never mind the figure if you're ashamed of it," said the
stranger, calmly. "This is my offer. If you'll shake your boss and come
to me, I'll double your pay every year so long as you stick to that
'Yes, sir, thank you, sir,' talk and manner. What do you say? Is it a
deal?"

"What do I s'y?" repeated Nelton, licking his lips. Lewis, grinning on
the lounge, was eavesdropping with all his ears.

"H--m--m," said the stranger, "double your pay every year _if you keep
it up_."

"I s'y this," said Nelton, a slight tremble in his voice, "I've been
serving gentlemen so long that I don't think we'd hit it off together,
thank you."

The stranger's shrewd eyes twinkled, but he was otherwise unmoved.

"Perhaps you're right," he mumbled, still plying his toothpick. "Anyway,
I'm glad you're not a worm." He drew a large business card from his
pocket and held it out. "Come to me if you ever want a man's job."

Nelton took the card and held it out as though he had been petrified in
the act. His bulging eyes watched the stranger as he sauntered leisurely
back to his seat, then they turned to Lewis.

"What do you think of that?" they asked.

Lewis held out his hand for the card and glanced at the name.

"Nelton," he said, "yo