vening out. Mrs.
Garton was attending a church "affair" and would not be home until ten,
so she had phoned.

Garton was glad to be alone as it afforded him a quiet time for
thought. As a rule he tried to leave his business concerns behind him
when he left the office. But to-night it was different, and his eyes
often turned toward two letters lying open on the little stand by his
side. At length, picking up one of them, he read it again, and as he
did so his face brightened and he gave a deep sigh of relief. But as
he scanned the other his brow knitted in perplexity and, leaning back,
he blew great wreaths of smoke into the air.

"Strange," he mused, "how that mine has recovered. I had given up all
hope of getting anything from it, and now it is booming. My, won't Kit
be surprised! I would feel happy to-night but for this other letter.
I wonder what I had better do about it. Things are certainly in a bad
shape there. He's on the rocks sure enough, and will go to pieces if
we don't come to his assistance, so he says."

Garton's reverie was broken by the clear insistent ring of the
door-bell.

"Confound it!" he muttered, as he rose from the chair, and hurried out
of the room. "Can't I have a little peace for one night at least?"

But no sooner had he thrown open the door than his tone of anger gave
way to one of joy, when he beheld Douglas Stanton standing before him.

"Well, 'pon my word!" he cried, seizing his visitor by the arm and
dragging him unceremoniously into the study. "Where in the world have
you dropped from? And what duds! Where did you get them? And your
face! My! it's some colour; bronzed, unshaven, and----"

"Unwashed," Douglas laughingly interrupted, as he threw himself into an
easy chair. "Any more remarks to make, eh? I am afraid your manners
haven't improved any more than my personal appearance since last we
met."

"No, I haven't changed one bit, but you have," and Garton's eyes gazed
approvingly upon his companion. "I would give almost anything to be as
strong and husky as you are."

"Live as I have for the last few weeks and your wife won't know you,"
Douglas replied, as he reached out and helped himself to a cigar. "But
how are Mrs. Garton and the kids? You seem to be keeping bachelor's
hall. Anything wrong? Married life a failure?"

"No, not at all. The family are fine; children in bed and wife at a
church 'tea fight.' But, we can talk about them when they show u