l, that's a myst'ry I had to pass up.

Must have been soon after she went away that I begun sizin' up some
critical the gen'ral style and get up of the party whose hair I was
combin' and whose face I was washin' more or less reg'lar. Startin' with
the collar, I discovered that mine gen'rally had saw edges, gaped in the
middle, and got some soiled about the third day. From then on I've been
particular about havin' a close front collar and puttin' on a fresh one
every mornin', whether I need it or not. Next I got wise to the fact
that one tie wouldn't last more'n six months without showin' signs of
wear, and it wa'n't long before I had quite a collection hangin' over
the gasjet. Up to then I didn't have the tooth powder habit very strong;
but it's chronic with me now. See the result?

I didn't stop to give myself reasons for gettin' so finicky; but the one
main fact loomin' up ahead seemed to be that some day or other Miss Vee
would be comin' back, and that maybe I might be on hand to sort
of--well, you know how you'll frame things up? I was to be vice
president of the Corrugated by that time, most likely, and they'd be
sendin' me abroad to look up important matters. That's how it was goin'
to happen that I'd find out where Vee was stayin'. Not that I'd think of
buttin' in on her and the aunt. Not much! Just remember I'd seen Aunty!

No, I was to be on the steamer, leanin' over the rail careless, when
they came aboard to go home. I was to be costumed all in gray. I don't
know just why; but it looks kind of distinguished, specially if you've
got gray hair. Not that I could count on my ruddy thatch frostin' up
much in a couple of years; but somehow nothing but gray seemed to fill
the bill. I'd planned on gettin' one of them gray tweed suits such as
Mr. Robert wears back from London, and a long gray ulster that'd make me
look tall, and a gray cloth hat to match, and gray gloves. Get the
picture?

Well, there I am by the rail, lookin' sort of distinguished and bored
and all that, when up comes Miss Vee and Aunty. All I could think of Vee
wearin' was that pink silk affair she had on at the dance, which
wouldn't be exactly what a young lady'd start out on an ocean trip with,
would it?

She'd be some jarred at seein' me, it's likely; but I'd lift the gray
lid real dignified, throw back the ulster so she'd get the full effect
of the tweed suit, and shoot off some remark about how "one always meets
one's most chawming friends