p from Lucy Dalles' rooming house. It
was hard to believe that all that was happening to him was true. In a
sort of haze that floated before him as he walked along hung Lucy's
face. He wished to go on forever thus. He found no fault in her--he
refused to. Some imp whispered to him that his fifteen dollars and
fifty cents would last forever. He did not actually believe this, but
he refused to worry over the matter. Fate was kind. He was living a
dream--and who needs money in Dreamland?

It was like the slap of a cold towel when Tweet's face suddenly
displaced Lucy's in the haze. Up there in the lounging room Tweet had
been waiting for him four hours! Tweet was doubtless hungry--he,
Hiram, had been to a feast of love!

He felt like sneaking away to another lodging house till Tweet had
disappeared. But he did not. Instead he sneaked up the dusty stairs
and through the door of the lounging room.

Tweet was there, half hidden behind his paper. Hiram sidled into a
seat, swallowed twice, and said "Hello."

Tweet at once lowered the paper and looked at him at if he did not
quite recall his face.

"Why, hello there!" he returned carelessly. "Back, eh? Here's
somethin' may int'rest you."

He got up, folding the paper, and carried it over to Hiram, pointing to
an article headed:

"New Ditch Digger Makes Good."

Hiram stared at the heading in dire confusion. He had been half
prepared for a rating; Tweet's complete disregard of his remissness was
distressing.

"Mr. Tweet, I've got to apologize," he began.

"Bad practice," Tweet interrupted. "The better way is to never do
anythin' that calls for an apology. Can't say that I live up to it,
but I do my darnedest--and angels can do no more. After the first half
hour I knew you wouldn't show up, so I went down and had lunch. More'n
you've had, I'll bet. Just glance over that article and see what you
think of it."

"I thought you were broke."

"Oh, they can't keep a good man down. The friend I went to see
insisted that I take a dollar he had that wasn't workin'. Don't
suppose I'll be with you for dinner, either, as I've got an engagement
at about that hour. But read that article."

Hiram obeyed.

It told of a ditch digger that had recently been enlarged from the
inventor's model, and which, at the first trial, was proving a decided
success in moving earth more rapidly than any previously invented.
With only his model to prove his claims, the inv