his pardon, though of course it was not necessary. We heartily
shook hands--at least he did.

We were on a corner of a crooked and cobblestoned street which twists
around the side of a hill. There is a small store on this corner, and
its neatly pointed red bricks and shining plate glass are sharp in
contrast to the ancient and somewhat dilapidated structures which
surround it. I recall these facts distinctly, and I can see even now
every attitude and expression on the part of Carter.

During our brief interview his eyes frequently wandered from mine to
those plate-glass windows, as if something within were of vast interest
to him.

"You're looking fine, Carter," I said, and he was; "St. Andrews must
agree with you."

He smiled placidly and his eye twinkled merrily through that monocle.

"I'm feeling fine! Congratulate me, old fellow!"

The blow had fallen--but I stood it better than I had dreamed would be
possible!

A swarm of thoughts came to me in that instant, but I maintained my
outward serenity. I knew that he was a clean, honourable man and worthy
in every way of the hand and heart of Grace Harding. Possibly they had
been long engaged. All of my alleged rights and wrongs faded into thin
air. Besides, what was the use of whimpering? It was a stunning blow,
but I would stand it like a man.

"I do congratulate you, Carter!" I exclaimed, clasping his hand and
looking him frankly in the eyes. "You have won the most glorious woman
on earth, and I esteem it an honour that I have had the privilege of
meeting her and of enjoying her society! I am--"

"Confound it, man, you never met my wife!" said Carter. "What on earth
are you talking of, my dear Smith? Ah, excuse me!"

He pushed past me to meet a radiant creature with laughing blue eyes who
came from out that little store. He smiled and took a tiny parcel from
her hands. Then he said something to her and they turned to me.

"Stella, my dear," he said, her hand in his as they confronted the most
dazed human on the face of the earth, "you have heard me talk so much of
my dear friend, 'Foxy Old Smith'; well, here he is! Permit me to present
Mr. John Henry Smith, champion of Woodvale, winner of the Harding
Trophy, also Wizard of Finance!"

I assured Mrs. Carter that I was delighted to meet her, and if ever a
man told the truth I did at that moment. I said a lot of things, laughed
so boisterously that Carter looked shocked; I told of the death of my
uncle and