inner during which we can exchange confidences," ventured Fico,
interspersing his English with Italian, and a word or two of slang.
Pinac gave Fico a look of warning.

"He means a 'art to 'art talk," explained Pinac.

"Excellent, excellent!" said Von Barwig, rubbing his hands, and going
over to the window he pulled up the blind.

"He falls into our trap very easily," whispered Pinac to Fico; "but be
careful!"

Poons looked on and smiled as usual.

"I should like nothing better," said Von Barwig. "You shall all dine
with me," and before his friends could remonstrate he had invited Poons
to the banquet.

"But I asked you!" said Pinac.

"He ask you," repeated Fico.

"I ask you; we all ask you," asserted Pinac.

"In my apartment!" demanded Von Barwig, with some slight show of
dignity. "Come, come! The matter is settled. It is good to have old
friends at the table. We won't go to the restaurant; it's too noisy
there; we shall dine here. Galazatti will send over a dinner without
extra charge, if we order enough."

"I am not hungry," began Fico, but Von Barwig silenced him with a look.

"Then please find your appetite at once," he said.

They saw it was useless to remonstrate with him and for a moment
remained silent, but Pinac determined to make another effort.

"You cannot afford such expense," he began. "It is too much."

"Pardon me," said Von Barwig, with quiet dignity, "I can always afford
to invite my friends to dinner. I have had lessons all day, ever since
early morning. Please, my dear Pinac, and you, Fico, old friend, do
not refer to the financial side of our little festivity. It robs it of
the zest of enjoyment, of comradeship. Let us eat and drink and be
merry! The question is, what shall we have for dinner, not who shall
pay for it?" And then without awaiting a reply, he opened the door and
called for Jenny.

Pinac and Fico looked at each other. It was evident to them that Miss
Husted had exaggerated Von Barwig's poverty, so their spirits rose at
once.

"Jenny! We take dinner here. Get me the _menu_, Poons. Jenny, you
will ask your good aunt, Miss Husted, to dine with us _en famille_--one
of our old-time dinners. Now, what shall we have?" he said, scanning
the well-thumbed _menu_ that Poons had handed to him.

"It is an old one," suggested Fico.

"It is always the same. It is only the date they change," said Von
Barwig. Pinac looked over his shoulder at the _menu_.

"_C