y a married man seems contented when he's only resigned," quoted
Billy maliciously.

"Get out!" Huntington shouted, throwing a chair-pillow at the retreating
figure.

It was at dinner that the party reassembled, this time in its full
strength of numbers. The table was set in the Italian dining-porch,
which occupied the east gable, and by reason of its uniqueness formed a
charming background for the ceremony. Three of its sides were open, the
over-story being supported on columns; the plaster wall was covered with
masses of flowering and decorative plants, clinging to a lattice, and
broken in the center by a niche enclosing an old marble fountain. Edith
and Cosden greeted Huntington cordially when he came down, plying him
with questions until he begged for mercy.

"You don't show any ill effects from acting as trained nurse," Cosden
remarked; "in fact I never saw you look so well. Glad you came in time
for this farewell dinner; I'm back into the harness again to-morrow."

"I wish you could stay longer, Mr. Cosden," Marian urged.

"I'm ashamed of the length of time I have already imposed upon your
hospitality," Cosden replied; "but you must hold Edith responsible. It
takes her an eternity to get a little word of three letters out of her
mouth."

"That isn't a commodity which requires advertising," she remarked,
tossing her head.

"I'll get you yet, you little devil!" whispered Cosden.

"This dinner is epoch-making," Thatcher said seriously after they were
seated, "and the epochs divide themselves into two parts. The first one
I'm going to explain; then, as it is proper that my wife should have the
last word, Marian will tell you the second. We have with us this
evening--that's the way the toastmaster usually starts in, isn't it?--a
man whom I have known for several years, whose integrity is
unquestioned, but who has been considered by his business associates as
one who exacted his last pound of flesh."

Cosden looked quickly at Thatcher, and reddened at the pointed glance
which Edith gave him.

"A few days ago," Thatcher continued, "owing to extraordinary business
conditions, that man found the one house which he would like best to
control in a position where he could legitimately force it to accept his
own terms. I know, because that house was mine."

"Cut it out, Thatcher," Cosden growled; "this isn't an experience
meeting."

Thatcher paid no attention to him. "At this crisis, I went down on my
knees, an