gyptologist of such standing
that his pronouncements in that field were practically final, a man
called before kings to determine the worth of their national treasures
and curiosities--and his greatest pride was that he had beaten the
hitherto unmatched mechanical chess-player in public contest and had
been invited to settle absolutely the nicest problems in a chess
magazine!

I dwell with a curious fondness upon this placid interval in my life.
I supposed myself honestly settled, grown old, grateful for the rest
and oblivion my father's old university gave me so generously. When I
thought of the feverish, break-neck journey I had planned, of the hot
and doubtful reliefs and distractions I had promised myself that day
when the lawyers' letter had dropped half read on my knees and I had
sniffed my freedom first, I wondered. But, truly, it is all written,
and the hour had not yet struck, that was all!

CHAPTER XVI

MARGARITA COMES TO TOWN

[FROM SUE PAYNTER]

WASHINGTON SQUARE,

Oct. 16, 188--

JERRY DEAR:

First about the will--how splendid it was! Nothing could
have pleased Roger more, I am sure--he told me with that
queer, little whimsical grimace of his that it cleared his
conscience to feel he was leaving you _something_! What a
personality he has, and how, in his quiet unassuming way, he
impresses it on us!

I hear that Sarah made a great fuss about the will, but was
advised by Mr. Sears to stop--and stopped! With Madame B. I
am of course anathema--I have not heard from her since. The
bank, _bien entendu_, is of the past, and you, I hear, are
in the far West. How you will revel in the freedom and how
good it must have been to kick off the ball and chain! If
anyone can be trusted not to abuse leisure, it is you, dear
Jerry--you won't appear so culpable, as a poor American
always does, somehow, under such circumstances. Even I feel
unjustifiably idle now, so I have taken up some of Mr.
Elder's fads--what a fine, manly sort of fellow he is!--and
may be seen, _moi qui vous parle_, teaching sight-reading to
a boy's glee-club!

But of course you are impatiently waiting for me to turn to
Margarita and leave this silly chatter about my egotistic
self. _Eh bien_, she is marvellous.