I have. That is, a friend of mine
has--or will."

"You have!" cried Harry with a start. He was interested now--not for
himself, but for St. George: no penny of his uncle's should ever go to
pay his debts. "Where did the money come from?"

"Never you mind where the money came from. You found it for Gilbert--did
he ask you where you got it? Why should you ask me?"

"Well, I won't; but you are mighty good to me, Uncle George, and I am
very grateful to you." The relief was not overwhelming, for the burden
of the debt had not been heavy. It was only the sting of his father's
refusal that had hurt. He had always believed that the financial tangle
would be straightened out somehow.

"No!--damn it!--you are not grateful. You sha'n't be grateful!" cried
St. George with a boyish laugh, seating himself that he might fill his
pipe the better from a saucer of tobacco on the table. "If you were
grateful it would spoil it all. What you can do, however, is to thank
your lucky stars that that greasy red pocket-handkerchief will never
be aired in your presence again. And there's another thing you can be
thankful for now that you are in a thankful mood, and that is that Mr.
Poe will be at Guy's to-morrow, and wants to see me." He had finished
filling the pipe bowl, and had struck a match.

The boy's eyes danced. Gadgem, his father, his debts, everything--was
forgotten.

"Oh, I'm so glad! How do you know?"

"Here's a letter from him." (Puff-puff.)

"And can I see him?"

"Of course you can see him! We will have him to dinner, my boy! Here
comes Todd with your coffee. Take my seat so I can talk to you while I
smoke."

CHAPTER XIV

Although St. George dispensed his hospitality without form or pretence,
never referring to his intended functions except in a casual way, the
news of so unusual a dinner to so notorious a man as Edgar Allan Poe
could not long be kept quiet.

While a few habitues occupying the arm-chairs on the sidewalk of the
club were disappointed at not being invited,--although they knew that
ten guests had always been St. George's limit,--others expressed their
disapproval of the entire performance with more than a shrug of the
shoulders. Captain Warfleld was most outspoken. "Temple," he said, "like
his father, is a law unto himself, and always entertains the queerest
kind of people; and if he wants to do honor to a man of that stamp, why
that, of course, is his business, not mine." At which old Tom Pur