," the other had fallen back into his former position,
his hands concealed, his attitude stiffly erect, "I'm in the deuce of a
frame of mind to-night--and undecided." He laughed shortly. "You're the
remedy that occurred to me."

"Yes," Randall repeated, this time with the slow smile, "I am a sort of
remedy. Sit down and tell me about it. I'm receptive at least."

"Sit down! I can't, Harry." The restless look became one of positive
repugnance. "I haven't been able to for a half-hour at a stretch for a
week."

"Try it anyway," bluntly. "It won't do you any harm to try."

"Nor any good either. I know." He threw himself into a seat with a
nervous scowl upon his face. "I haven't been able to do any real work for
an age, which is worse," he continued. "My lectures lately have been a
disgrace to the college. No one knows it better than myself."

A moment Randall hesitated, but even yet he did not put an inquiry
direct.

"Yes?" he suggested again.

"I'm stale, I guess, or have lost my nerve or--or something." Armstrong
smiled,--a crooked smile that failed to extinguish the furrows on his
forehead. "By the way, have you got a little superfluous nerve lying
about that you could stake me with?"

Randall echoed the laugh, because it seemed the only possible answer, but
that was all.

In the silence that followed Armstrong looked at his friend opposite, the
nervous furrow between his eyes deepening.

"I suppose you're wondering," he began at last, "just what's the matter
with me and what I want of you. Concerning the first, there's a lot I
might say, but I won't; I'll spare you. As to what I want to ask of
you--Frankly, Harry, straight to the point and conventional reticence
aside, ought I to marry or oughtn't I?" He caught the other's expression
and answered it quickly. "I know this is a peculiar thing to ask and
seems, looking at it from some angles, something I shouldn't ask; but you
know all the circumstances between Elice and me and, in a way, our
positions are a good deal similar. Just what do you think? Don't hesitate
to tell me exactly."

In his seat Randall shifted uncomfortably; to gain time he filled his
pipe afresh,--a distinct dissipation for the man of routine that he was.

"Frankly, as you suggest, Steve," he answered finally, "I'd rather not
discuss the subject, rather not advise. It's--you know why--so big and
personal."

"I realize that and have apologized already for bringing it up; but I
can't de