below with my inspiration. Others had made their arrangements and gone, but I managed to catch the head steward. 

 "I suppose you're assigning seats for people who want to sit alone at these small tables?" I began. 

 "We have assigned only one such, sir," he cautiously admitted.  "All we're able to give." 

 "Why all?" I wanted to know.  "There are plenty of tables and only a few passengers." 

 "Yes, sir, that's true. But also, there's only a few stewards. We haven't enough to spare for scattering around." 

 "Is Mr. Roger Odell the one fortunate person to whom you've been able to give a table to himself?"  I threw out this question like a lasso. 

 "Why, yes, sir, as a matter of fact he is," the caught steward confessed.  "We've several tables with parties of two or three, but for one alone——" 

 "I may wish to be alone just as much as Mr. Odell does," I argued. "But the next best thing to being alone is to sit with another man who wants to be alone. Then there's no fear of too much conversation. Put me at Mr. Odell's table."  As I spoke I slipped a five-pound note into a surprised but unresisting hand.  (I had to bribe high to outbribe a millionaire.)  Even as his fingers closed mechanically on the paper the steward's tongue began to stammer, "I—I'm afraid he may object, sir." 

 "He may at first; but not after three minutes. All I ask is to be put at the table when Mr. Odell is seated, and without his knowing beforehand that he's obliged to have a companion. If he still objects after three minutes of my company I've had my money's worth. I'll leave him in possession of the table; you can put me where you like." 

 It was a bargain. The steward pointed out the table selected by Odell. 

 I was dressed and ready for dinner before the bugle sounded, but did not go down until I thought that most of the passengers would be already seated. Hovering in the doorway, I saw that Odell was already in his place. Then I made straight for the table and sat down in the chair opposite his. 

 He had been gloomily eating his soup, and looked up from it with a glare. 

 "I think you must be making a mistake," he remarked with an effort at civility.  "I asked to be alone." 

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