wing patterns with my finger on
the sundial, "wrinkled, rough, fat--and, perhaps, good."

"You're very disagreeable today," said Dolly.

She rose and stood by me.

"What do the mottoes mean?" she asked.

There were two; I will not say they contradicted one another, but they
looked at life from different points of view.

"Pereunt et imputantur," I read.

"Well, what's that, Mr. Carter?"

"A trite, but offensive, assertion," said I, lighting a cigarette.

"But what does it mean?" she asked, a pucker on her forehead.

"What does it matter?" said I. "Let's try the other."

"The other is longer."

"And better. Horas non numero nisi serenas."

"And what's that?"

I translated literally. Dolly clapped her hands, and her face gleamed
with smiles.

"I like that one," she cried.

"Stop!" said I imperatively. "You'll set it moving!"

"It's very sensible," said she.

"More freely rendered, it means, I live only when you--"

"By Jove!" remarked Archie, coming up behind us, pipe in mouth, "there
was a lot of rain last night. I've just measured it in the gauge."

"Some people measure everything," said I, with a displeased air. "It is
a detestable habit."

"Archie, what does Pereunt et imputantur mean?"

"Eh? Oh, I see. Well, I say, Carter!--Oh, well, you know, I suppose it
means you've got to pay for your fun, doesn't it?"

"Oh, is that all? I was afraid it was something horrid. Why did you
frighten me, Mr. Carter?"

"I think it is rather horrid," said I.

"Why, it isn't even true," said Dolly scornfully.

Now when I heard this ancient and respectable legend thus cavalierly
challenged, I fell to studying it again, and presently I exclaimed:

"Yes, you're right! If it said that, it wouldn't be true; but Archie
translated it wrong."

"Well, you have a shot," suggested Archie.

"The oysters are eaten and put down in the bill," said I. "And you will
observe, Archie, that it does not say in whose bill."

"Ah!" said Dolly.

"Well, somebody's got to pay," persisted Archie.

"Oh, yes, somebody," laughed Dolly.

"Well, I don't know," said Archie. "I suppose the chap that has the
fun--"

"It's not always a chap," observed Dolly.

"Well, then the individual," amended Archie. "I suppose he'd have to
pay."

"It doesn't say so," I remarked mildly. "And according to my small
experience--"

"I'm quite sure your meaning is right, Mr. Carter," said Dolly in an
authoritative tone.

"As for the other mot