inner at Allison's the night of his return from the long journey
was not a success. It was to be an entirely informal affair,--no guests
present but a high official of the road in which the host was so heavily
interested, and Mr. Forrest, whom Miss Allison had invited on her own
account. The brother magnate came, and Mr. Forrest did not. True, his
acceptance had been conditioned on his being able to finish certain
papers, which, so he told both Florence and her father, would be
required at the office early the next day. Mr. Elmendorf came hurrying
in and went up to his room about half-past six, and fifteen minutes
later came a messenger with a note which was taken at once to Miss
Allison's room. She was dressed for dinner and ready to come down, but
she took it and read it hurriedly, uttered an exclamation of
disappointment, and sharply closed her door. Not until Mr. Allison sent
for her with the information that dinner was on the table did she
appear. Elmendorf eyed her covertly, and Aunt Lawrence sharply. There
were unmistakable traces of tears. "Did he say why he couldn't come?"
asked Mrs. Lawrence, presently.

"Yes--no--at least--he had told me before that he thought it might be
impossible," answered Florence, in embarrassment and annoyance. Her
father was laying down the law on Interstate Commerce to his guest at
the moment, and it was a subject on which he never tired. Even while
listening intently, watching for his chance to "chip in," as Cary said,
Elmendorf caught Miss Allison's every word. What he had not yet been
enlightened upon was the explanation of Forrest's return with the party.
All he knew was that early on the previous day the general, with two of
his aides and Mr. Forrest, boarded the train in Southern Kansas. Allison
invited them all into the private car and proposed making them his
guests on the homeward run. The chief declined for himself and staff,
saying that they had other matters to detain them, but it transpired
that Mr. Forrest was to go right on. He had his berth engaged in an
adjoining sleeper, but spent several hours with the railway party, and
on their arrival in Chicago the Allisons had insisted on his taking a
seat in their carriage. Allison himself was dropped at his club,
Florence in turn left Mr. Forrest at his lodgings, and then was driven
home. This was actually all Elmendorf had been able to learn.

But here was basis enough for all manner of theory and conjecture, none
of them