despised the pursuit of a flea. My interest in the study of
religion assorted ill with this: when I questioned on my subject, he
replied on his. All other incidents of his journeys he passed over, both
in talk and in writing (he had written two books eminent in their own
line), with a brevity thoroughly Caesarean. "Having taken the city and
killed the citizens"--Caesar invaded another tribe!--That was the style.
Only Octon's tribes were insects, Caesar's patriots. It was, however,
rumored--as Bertram Ware had hinted in a jocose form--that Octon's
summaries were, sometimes and in their degree, as eloquent as Caesar's
own.

"Hang my journeys!" he said, as I put one more of my futile questions.
"I got six bugs--one indisputably new. But I didn't hurry up here--I
only got home this morning--to talk about that. I hurried up here,
Austin----"

"To annoy your neighbors--knowing they were assembled here?"

"That was a side-show," he assured me. "Though it was entertaining
enough. And, after all, young Lacey began on me! No--I came to bring you
news of your liege lady. I've been in Paris, too, Austin."

"And you met her?"

"I met her often--with her cat."

"Miss Chatters?"

"Precisely. And sometimes without her cat. How do you like the change
from old Driver?"

"I hold no such position, either in county or borough, as need tempt
you--to say nothing of entitling you--to ask impertinent questions,
Octon."

He chuckled out a deep rumbling laugh of amusement. "Good!" he said.
"Well-turned--almost witty! Austin, I've my own pursuits--but I'm
inclined to wish I had your position."

"You're very flattering--but my position is that of an employe--at a
salary which would hardly command your services."

"You can be eyes and ears and hands to her. If I had your position,
I'd"--one of his great hands rose suddenly into the air--"crunch up this
neighborhood. With her resources she could get all the power." His hand
fell again, and he removed his body from two of the three chairs,
shifting himself with easy indolent strength. "Then you'd have it all in
your own control."

"She'd have it in her own control, you must mean," said I.

"Come, you're a man!" he mocked me. But he was looking at me closely,
too--and rather inquisitively, I thought.

"Since you've met her often, I thought you might understand better than
that." To answer him in his own coin, I infused into my tone a contempt
which I hoped would annoy him.

He was