ohnny reflected over that statement and turned a trifle bitter. He had
no million dollars; he had no friends; he had no girl! He contemplated
calling the police.

The telephone bell rang.

"Hello, Polly," he said vigorously into the interrupting instrument,
and then Collaton, watching him anxiously, saw his face light up like a
Mardi Gras illumination. "Bring my Baltimore straw hat!" jubilated
Johnny. "Polly, I'll bring one if I have to go to Baltimore to get it."
He paused, and the transmitter in front of his face almost glistened
with reflected high-lights. "Engagements! For to-day?" exulted Johnny.
"I'm at liberty right now. How soon may I come over?" He listened again
with a wide-spread grin. Collaton rolled a cigarette with black tobacco
and brown paper, lighted it and smiled comfortably. "Can't I talk to
Constance a minute?" implored Johnny, trying to push in the troublous
tremolo stop. "Oh, is she? All right; I'll be over in about twenty
minutes. No, I won't make it an hour, I said twenty minutes;" and still
smiling with imbecile delight he hung up the receiver and turned to
Collaton with a frown.

"I think I can raise that two thousand for you," he decided. "Now tell
me just what you know about Gresham and Birchard."

CHAPTER XXII

IN WHICH PAUL GRESHAM PROPOSES A VERY PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENT

"Mr. Gresham is calling," announced Aunt Pattie Boyden with some
trepidation; for Constance, besides being ill, had not been in the best
of humor during the last two weeks.

"Paul?" commented Constance with a pleased smile, which both delighted
and surprised Aunt Pattie. "I didn't expect him for half an hour," and
she completed her toilet by adorning herself with a choice collection
of Johnny Gamble's roses.

"You are looking your best, I must say," admired Aunt Pattie after a
critical survey, for she was particularly anxious about this visit of
Paul Gresham's.

"She ought to," interjected Polly, busy at the telephone; "that's the
third gown she's tried on. She's expecting particular company."

"Any one besides Paul?" inquired Aunt Pattie, elevating her eyebrows.

"Lots of people," returned Constance with a gaiety she had not
exhibited for many days. "Mr. Gamble for one."

Aunt Pattie's countenance underwent an instant change, and it was not a
change for the better.

"Mr. Gamble!" she exclaimed, quite properly shocked. "I shouldn't think
he'd feel in the humor for social calls just now. He's lost all