guest a cigar.

"You must be cold," he said. "Sit here. 'A bad night, stranger' as they
remark in stories."

"You've said it," replied the young man, accepting the cigar. "Thanks."
He walked to the door leading into the hall and opened it about a foot.
"I'm afraid," he explained jocosely, "we'll get to talking, and miss the
breakfast bell." He dropped into the chair, and lighted his cigar at a
candle end. "Say, you never can tell, can you? Climbing up old Baldpate
I thought to myself, that hotel certainly makes the Sahara Desert look
like a cozy corner. And here you are, as snug and comfortable and at
home as if you were in a Harlem flat. You never can tell. And what now?
The story of my life?"

"You might relate," Mr. Magee told him, "that portion of it that has led
you trespassing on a gentleman seeking seclusion at Baldpate Inn."

The stranger looked at Mr. Magee. He had an eye that not only looked,
but weighed, estimated, and classified. Mr. Magee met it smilingly.

"Trespassing, eh?" said the young man. "Far be it from me to quarrel
with a man who smokes as good cigars as you do--but there's something I
haven't quite doped out. That is--who's trespassing, me or you?"

"My right here," said Mr. Magee, "is indisputable."

"It's a big word," replied the other, "but you can tack it to my right
here, and tell no lie. We can't dispute, so let's drop the matter. With
that settled, I'm encouraged to pour out the story of why you see me
here to-night, far from the madding crowd. Have you a stray tear? You'll
need it. It's a sad touching story, concerned with haberdashery and a
trusting heart, and a fair woman--fair, but, oh, how false!"

"Proceed," laughed Mr. Magee. "I'm an admirer of the vivid imagination.
Don't curb yours, I beg of you."

"It's all straight," said the other in a hurt tone. "Every word true. My
name is Joseph Bland. My profession, until love entered my life, was
that of haberdasher and outfitter. In the city of Reuton, fifty miles
from here, I taught the Beau Brummels of the thoroughfares what was
doing in London in the necktie line. I sold them coats with padded
shoulders, and collars high and awe inspiring. I was happy, twisting a
piece of silk over my hand to show them how it would look on their
heaving bosoms. And then--she came."

Mr. Bland puffed on his cigar.

"Yes," he said, "Arabella sparkled on the horizon of my life. When I
have been here in the quiet for about two centuries, maybe