r kick. "If I could have looked into
the future," she said, with feeling, "I'd have bitten him in the ankle!"

In the days which followed, Archie found himself a little out of
touch with Bill and his romance. Lucille referred to the matter only
when he brought the subject up, and made it plain that the topic of
her future sister-in-law was not one which she enjoyed discussing. Mr.
Brewster, senior, when Archie, by way of delicately preparing his mind
for what was about to befall, asked him if he liked red hair, called him
a fool, and told him to go away and bother someone else when they were
busy. The only person who could have kept him thoroughly abreast of the
trend of affairs was Bill himself; and experience had made Archie wary
in the matter of meeting Bill. The position of confidant to a young man
in the early stages of love is no sinecure, and it made Archie sleepy
even to think of having to talk to his brother-in-law. He sedulously
avoided his love-lorn relative, and it was with a sinking feeling
one day that, looking over his shoulder as he sat in the Cosmopolis
grill-room preparatory to ordering lunch, he perceived Bill bearing down
upon him, obviously resolved upon joining his meal.

To his surprise, however, Bill did not instantly embark upon his usual
monologue. Indeed, he hardly spoke at all. He champed a chop, and seemed
to Archie to avoid his eye. It was not till lunch was over and they were
smoking that he unburdened himself.

"Archie!" he said.

"Hallo, old thing!" said Archie. "Still there? I thought you'd died or
something. Talk about our old pals, Tongue-tied Thomas and Silent Sammy!
You could beat 'em both on the same evening."

"It's enough to make me silent."

"What is?"

Bill had relapsed into a sort of waking dream. He sat frowning sombrely,
lost to the world. Archie, having waited what seemed to him a sufficient
length of time for an answer to his question, bent forward and touched
his brother-in-law's hand gently with the lighted end of his cigar. Bill
came to himself with a howl.

"What is?" said Archie.

"What is what?" said Bill.

"Now listen, old thing," protested Archie. "Life is short and time
is flying. Suppose we cut out the cross-talk. You hinted there was
something on your mind--something worrying the old bean--and I'm waiting
to hear what it is."

Bill fiddled a moment with his coffee-spoon.

"I'm in an awful hole," he said at last.

"What's the trouble?"

"It's