g other than
what you had been----"

"I was a fool," groaned Mr. Bultitude, "yes, that was the way it began!"

"Then insensibly the wish worked a gradual transformation in your nature
(you are old enough to follow me?)."

"Old enough for him to follow _me_!" thought Paul; but he was too
pleased to be annoyed. "Hardly gradual I should say," he said aloud.
"But go on, sir, pray go on. I see you know all about it."

"At first the other part of you struggled against the new feelings. You
strove to forget them--you even tried to resume your old habits, your
former way of life--but to no purpose; and when you came here, you found
no fellowship amongst your companions----"

"Quite out of the question!" said Paul.

"Their pleasures give you no delight----"

"Not a bit!"

"They, on their side, perhaps misunderstand your lack of interest in
their pursuits. They cannot see--how should they?--that you have altered
your mode of life, and when they catch the difference between you and
the Richard Bultitude they knew, why, they are apt to resent it."

"They are," agreed Mr. Bultitude: "they resent it in a confounded
disagreeable way, you know. Why, I assure you, that only last night I
was----"

"Hush," said Mr. Blinkhorn, holding up one hand, "complaints are
unmanly. But I see you wonder at my knowing all this?"

"Well," said Paul, "I am rather surprised."

"What would you say if I told you I had undergone it myself in my time?"

"You don't mean to tell me there are _two_ Garuda Stones in this
miserable world!" cried Paul, thoroughly astonished.

"I don't know what you mean now, but I can say with truth that I too
have had my experiences--my trials. Months ago, from certain signs, I
noticed, I foresaw that this was coming upon you."

"Then," said Mr. Bultitude, "I think, in common decency, you might have
warned me. A post-card would have done it. I should have been better
prepared to meet this, then!"

"It would have been worse than fruitless to attempt to hurry on the
crisis. It might have even prevented what I fondly hoped would come to
pass."

"Fondly hoped!" said Paul, "upon my word you speak plainly, sir."

"Yes," said Mr. Blinkhorn. "You see I knew the Dick Bultitude that was,
so well; he was frolicksome, impulsive, mischievous even, but under it
all there lay a nature of sterling worth."

"Sterling worth!" cried Paul. "A scoundrel, I tell you, a heartless,
selfish young scoundrel. Call things by their ri