siting guests or friends. At any rate, it was the presence of this
pennant which caused me to know that he was about and to wish that I
might have a look at him once more, great lion that he was. As "guests,"
none of us were ever allowed to come within more than ten feet of it,
let alone in it. As passing visitors, however, we might, and many did,
stop, remind him that we had once been his humble slaves, and ask leave
to congratulate him on his health and sturdy years. At such times, if
the visitors looked interesting enough, or he remembered them well, he
would deign to come to the tent-fly and, standing there a la Napoleon at
Lodi or Grant in the Wilderness, be for the first time in his relations
with them a bit civil.

Anyway, on this occasion, urged on by curiosity to see my liege once
more and also to learn whether he would remember me at all, I had my
present host roll his car up to the tent door, where Culhane was
reading. Feeling that by this venturesome deed I had "let myself in for
it" and had to "make a showing," I climbed briskly out and, approaching,
recalled myself to him. With a semi-wry expression, half smile, half
contemptuous curl of the corners of his mouth, he recalled me and took
my extended hand; then seeing that possibly my friends if not myself
looked interesting, he arose and came to the door. I introduced
them--one a naval officer of distinction, the other the owner of a great
estate some miles farther on. For the first time in my relations with
him I had an opportunity to note how grandly gracious he could be. He
accepted my friends' congratulations as to the view with a princely nod
and suggested that on other days it was even better. He was soon to be
busy now or he would have some one show my friends through the shop.
Some Saturday afternoon, if they would telephone or stop in passing, he
would oblige.

I noted at once that he had not aged in the least. He was sixty-two
or -three now and as vigorous and trim as ever. And now he treated me as
courteously and formally as though he had never browbeaten me in the
least. "Good heavens," I said, "how much better to be a visitor than a
guest!" After a moment or two we offered many thanks and sped on, but
not without many a backward glance on my part, for the place fascinated
me. That simply furnished institution! That severe regimen! This
latter-day Stoic and Spartan in his tent! And, above all things, and the
most astounding to me, so little cou