y, with a nervous impatience distinctive of him, his fingers
tapped twice on the edge of the chair; then, aroused to attention, the
hand lay still.

"Well?" commented Armstrong at length.

Roberts merely looked at him, not humorously nor with intent to
tantalize, but with unconscious analysis written large upon his face.

"Well?" repeated Armstrong, "I'm waiting. The floor is yours."

"I was merely wondering," slowly, "how it would seem to be a person like
you. I can't understand."

"No, you can't, Darley. As I said a moment ago, we're different as day is
from night."

"I was wondering another thing, too, Armstrong. Do you want to know what
it was?"

"Yes; I know in advance I'll not have to blush at a compliment."

"I don't know about that. I'm not the judge. I merely anticipated in
fancy the time when you will wake up. You will some day. It's inevitable.
To borrow your phrase, 'it's written.'"

"You think so?" The accompanying smile was appreciative.

"I know so. It's life we're living, not fiction."

"And when I do--pardon me--come out of it?" The questioner was still
smiling.

"That's what I was speculating on." Again the impatient fingers tapped on
the chair, and again halted at their own alarm. "You'll either be a
genius and blossom in a day, or be a dead failure and go to the devil by
the shortest route."

"You think there's no possible middle trail?"

"Not for you. You're not built that way."

The prediction was spoken with finality--too much finality to be taken
humorously. Responsively, bit by bit, the smile left Armstrong's face.

"I won't attempt to answer that, Darley, or to defend myself. To come
back to the point, you think I'm a fool not to accept Graham's offer?"

As before, his companion shrugged unconsciously. That was all.

"Does it occur to you that I might possibly have a reason--one that,
while it wouldn't show up well under your tape line, to me seems
adequate?"

"I'm not immune to reason."

"You'd like to have me put it in words?"

"Yes, if you wish."

"Well, then, first of all, I've spent ten years working up to where I am
now. I've been through the mill from laboratory handy-man to assistant
demonstrator, from that to demonstrator, up again to quiz-master, to
substitute-lecturer, until now I'm at the head of my department. That
looks small to you, I know; but to me it means a lot. Two hundred men,
bright fellows too, fill up the amphitheatre every day and listen to m