It
did not in this case. After Uncle Billy had won the only jack-pot
deserving of the name, he was allowed to go blissfully to sleep with
his hand on the handle of the big jug.

After poker there is only one other always available amusement for
men, and that is business. The two travelers were quite well
acquainted when Ralph put his head in at the door.

"Thought I'd find you here," he explained. "It just occurred to me to
wonder whether you gentlemen had discovered, as yet, that we are all
to be house guests at the Carston-Tyler wedding."

"Why, no!" exclaimed his father in pleased surprise. "It is a most
agreeable coincidence. Mr. Van Kamp, allow me to introduce my son,
Ralph. Mr. Van Kamp and myself, Ralph, have found out that we shall be
considerably thrown together in a business way from now on. He has
just purchased control of the Metropolitan and Western string of
interurbans."

"Delighted, I'm sure," murmured Ralph, shaking hands, and then he
slipped out as quickly as possible. Some one seemed to be waiting for
him.

Perhaps another twenty minutes had passed, when one of the men had an
illuminating idea that resulted, later on, in pleasant relations for
all of them. It was about time, for Mrs. Ellsworth, up in the bare
suite, and Mrs. Van Kamp, down in the draughty barn, both wrapped up
to the chin and both still chilly, had about reached the limit of
patience and endurance.

"Why can't we make things a little more comfortable for all
concerned?" suggested Mr. Van Kamp. "Suppose, as a starter, that we
have Mrs. Van Kamp give a shiver party down in the barn?"

"Good idea," agreed Mr. Ellsworth. "A little diplomacy will do it.
Each one of us will have to tell his wife that the other fellow made
the first abject overtures."

Mr. Van Kamp grinned understandingly, and agreed to the infamous ruse.

"By the way," continued Mr. Ellsworth, with a still happier thought,
"you must allow Mrs. Ellsworth to furnish the dinner for Mrs. Van
Kamp's shiver party."

"Dinner!" gasped Mr. Van Kamp. "By all means!"

Both men felt an anxious yawning in the region of the appetite, and a
yearning moisture wetted their tongues. They looked at the slumbering
Uncle Billy and decided to see Mrs. Tutt themselves about a good, hot
dinner for six.

"Law me!" exclaimed Aunt Margaret when they appeared at the kitchen
door. "I swan I thought you folks 'u'd never come to yore senses. Here
I've had a big pot o' stewed chicken read