ng up the sponge: "I think much
better to add little serpent-like wisdom to upright manhood and thus
found good business edifice."

* * * * *

"L1 down secures a ---- bicycle for you in time for Whitsuntide."

_Advt. in "Yorkshire Observer, June 9."_

So if you are in a hurry and want it by next Christmas you had better go
somewhere else.

* * * * *

THE MAN OF THE EVENING.

To be perfectly fair, it was not that Dorice gave me too few
instructions, but rather too many.

"I'm over at Naughton," she said through the telephone; "I'm staying
with some people named Perry."

"How ripping of you to ring me up!" I said, flattered; "it's heavenly to
hear your voice, even if I can't see you."

It was a pretty little speech, but Dorice ignored it.

"There is a dance on here, to-night," she continued hastily, "and at the
last minute they are short of men, so I've promised to get them
someone."

I gripped the receiver firmly and groaned. I knew what was coming.

Dorice proposed that I should leave the office _instantly_ and catch the
next train to Naughton.

She adopted rushing tactics with which it was practically impossible to
cope.

All the time I was explaining to her how busy I was, and how I found it
out of the question even to think of leaving the office, she kept on
giving me varied and hurried directions.

I was to be sure to remember the steps she had taught me last time.

I was not to take any notice of a dark girl in a red dress, because she
wasn't the slightest bit nice when you really got to know her.

I was to drive straight to the hall, where Dorice would be looking out
for me.

"And now I can't stay any longer, and you must fly and catch the train,
and so 'good-bye,' and I'll keep some dances for you!"

"Half a minute," I protested. "Where do I----? What is the name of----?"

But Dorice, with that delightful suddenness which is one of her most
charming characteristics, had rung off, leaving my destination a
mystery.

However, there was no time to worry about details. I told a dreadful lie
to a man with whom I had an appointment, left the office and did
wonderful things in the way of changing my clothes, packing my bag, and
boarding a moving train.

At Naughton station I engaged a cab.

"Where to?" asked the driver, as he readied down for my bag.

It was the question I had been asking myself all the way in the train.

"That's j