age without
committing suicide. Far below him, the traffic took its usual course
and the pedestrians moved to and fro upon the pavements. There was no
crowding, no excitement. Yet only a few moments before a long green
snake with three hundred ribs, a distensible gullet, and gastrocentrous
vertebras must have descended on that street like the gentle rain from
Heaven upon the place beneath. And nobody seemed even interested. Not
for the first time since he had arrived in America, Archie marvelled
at the cynical detachment of the New Yorker, who permits himself to be
surprised at nothing.

He shut the window and moved away with a heavy Heart. He had not had
the pleasure of an extended acquaintanceship with Peter, but he had
seen enough of him to realise his sterling qualities. Somewhere beneath
Peter's three hundred ribs there had lain a heart of gold, and Archie
mourned for his loss.

Archie had a dinner and theatre engagement that night, and it was late
when he returned to the hotel. He found his father-in-law prowling
restlessly about the lobby. There seemed to be something on Mr.
Brewster's mind. He came up to Archie with a brooding frown on his
square face.

"Who's this man Seacliff?" he demanded, without preamble. "I hear he's a
friend of yours."

"Oh, you've met him, what?" said Archie. "Had a nice little chat
together, yes? Talked of this and that, no!"

"We have not said a word to each other."

"Really? Oh, well, dear old Squiffy is one of those strong, silent
fellers you know. You mustn't mind if he's a bit dumb. He never says
much, but it's whispered round the clubs that he thinks a lot. It was
rumoured in the spring of nineteen-thirteen that Squiffy was on the
point of making a bright remark, but it never came to anything."

Mr. Brewster struggled with his feelings.

"Who is he? You seem to know him."

"Oh yes. Great pal of mine, Squiffy. We went through Eton, Oxford, and
the Bankruptcy Court together. And here's a rummy coincidence. When they
examined ME, I had no assets. And, when they examined Squiffy, HE had no
assets! Rather extraordinary, what?"

Mr. Brewster seemed to be in no mood for discussing coincidences.

"I might have known he was a friend of yours!" he said, bitterly. "Well,
if you want to see him, you'll have to do it outside my hotel."

"Why, I thought he was stopping here."

"He is--to-night. To-morrow he can look for some other hotel to break
up."

"Great Scot! Has dear ol