aken defiance. "But not before I live
to see a new line of rosy-faced, fluffy-haired little Grimms."

McPherson leaned back with a sigh of discouragement. Then, with
professional insight, he noted for the first time the gallant fight the
old man opposite him was making to keep up that obstinate gay courage
whose outward expression had so irritated the doctor. And, all at once,
McPherson ceased to become the gruff friend and assumed the role that
Ananias's physician probably acquired from his famous patient and which,
most assuredly, he has handed down to all his medical successors.

"I see no reason, Peter," said he with judicial ponderousness, "why you
shouldn't reach a ripe old age. You're quite likely to outlive me and a
host of younger men. Only, take better care of yourself. And,--no matter
how many probable years of life a man has before him, it does him no
harm to set his house in order. Think over that part of my advice and
forget the rest of it."

"Forget the rest of it," echoed Grimm absently. "The rest----"

McPherson hesitated; then as though overcome by a temptation too strong
for him to battle against, he blurted out half-shamefacedly:

"Peter--don't laugh at me. I want to make a strange compact with you. As
I've told you, you're quite likely to outlive me. But--will you agree
that whichever of us happens to--to go first,--shall come back and--and
let the other fellow know? Let the other fellow know; so as to settle
the Great Question once and for all?"

Grimm stared at him for a moment. Then he set the room ringing with a
laugh of whose mocking heartiness there could be no doubt.

"Oh, Andrew! Andrew!" he cried, when he could get his breath. "Still
riding your one crazy hobby! And you so sane in other ways!"

"But you'll make the compact?" begged McPherson. "You're a man of your
word,----"

"Make a compact to----? Oh, no, no, man. _No!_ I'd be ashamed to have
people know I was such a fool."

"But," urged the doctor, "no one else need know anything about it. It'll
be just between ourselves."

"No, no, dear old Andrew," laughed Grimm indulgently. "Positively _no_!
I refuse, point-blank. I'll do you any favour in reason. But I draw the
line at being dragged into any of your absurd spook tests."

"You sneer at 'spooks,' as you call them," retorted the doctor. "Most
people do. Just as people scoffed when Columbus told them there was an
America. But how many times do you think _you_ have seen a spo