next corner. We sped across the track into Chesterville and––

“‘Hold up! There’s the office ahead.’

“The levers move, down goes the brake, and we’re there.

“‘Eleven miles in fourteen minutes!’ Harry exclaims, as I spring out and hurry to the door. It was really sixteen minutes, but I always allow Harry a slight discount.

“‘Not in!’ I shout, in a second.

“‘Not in––heart of Allah!––where is he?’

“‘At the Wilton job on the point.’

“‘We’ll go get him.’

“‘You go; I’ll wait here.’

“Away he rushes––I thank God for the 5 brief respite. This high power encourages great familiarity with the higher powers. But the Creator’s name is used here in no light or profane spirit, let me say. In each case it is only a brief prayer or, rather, the beginning of a prayer which one has not time to finish. It is cut short by a new adventure.

5

“I say to myself that I shall not ride back with Harry. No, life is still dear to me. I will take the trolley. And yet––what thrilling, Jove-like, superhuman deviltry it was! I light a cigar and sit down. Harry and Wilton arrive. Fifteen minutes gone!

“I get down to business.

“Harry says: ‘Please cut it short.’

“I could have saved five hundred dollars if I had had time to present our side of the case with proper deliberation. But Harry keeps shouting:

“‘Do cut it short. I must get there––don’t you know?’

6

“Wilton must have his pay, too––he needs every cent of it to-morrow.

“‘You go on. I’ll stay here and settle this matter and go home by the trolley.’

“‘Let’s stick together,’ my young friend entreats. ‘Please hurry it through and come on with me. I need you.’

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