t, poured out some whisky, frothed it up from the siphon, and
drank.

"That's better," he said, with a sigh of satisfaction. "Aren't you
going to have one?"

"Presently."

"Presently? Bah! It's always presently with you. I'm tired of
presently. Edie would say `Yes,' directly, and I could get Aunt Jerrold
to coax the old man round if he wanted coaxing. But it's always the
same. Look here; if you don't keep your cigars somewhere else, and not
on a shelf over that damp bath, I won't smoke 'em. Hardly get 'em to
light. Here," he continued, thrusting a cigar and a match-box into
Stratton's hands, "do smoke and talk, you give a fellow the blues with
your dismal looks."

"I'm very sorry, old fellow," said Stratton, lighting the cigar. "I am
not dismal. I feel very happy and contented."

"Then you're easily satisfied," cried Guest.

"Yes; because I hope and believe that if I am patient, my time will
come."

"Not it. It's too bad of Myra."

"No; I would not have her change," said Stratton dreamily. "It is a
hard and long probation, but I can wait, and I love her all the more
dearly for her true womanly behaviour. There, hold your tongue, you
miserable, selfish reviler of one whom in your heart you look up to as a
pattern of womanhood. The joy would be almost greater than I could bear
if she said `Yes'; but she is right, and I will patiently wait, for some
day the time will come."

"There you go again. Presently. It's all very well for you with your
calm worship of your ideal woman, and your high-falutin talk about
womanhood, etcetera, but I love my little Edie in a non-aesthetic,
Christian-like, manly way; and it's maddening to be always kept off by
the little thing with, `No, not till I see poor Myra happy. Then,
perhaps, you may begin to talk.' Perhaps and presently make poor food
for a fellow like me."

Stratton smiled at him gravely.

"That's right--laugh at me. Tell you what, Mal, you're a poor lover.
Why don't you ask her plump and plain?"

Stratton made no reply but sat back smoking, and his friend said no more
for a time. At last, quietly:

"Not such a bad cigar after all, Mal."

Stratton did not reply for a few moments. Then, in a low voice, full of
emotion:

"Percy, lad, you must bear with me: it is all too deep for words. If we
could change places you would do as I do. Speak to her? pray to her?
Have I not done all this till now when her eyes gaze in mine with their
gentle