until then I go where the art galleries are biggest and where they have got the science of enjoying themselves down to the very finest point. I have enough rough work eight months of the year to make me appreciate that. So whenever I get a few months to myself I take the Royal Mail to London, and from there to Paris or Vienna. I think I like Vienna the best. The directors are generally important people in their own cities, and they ask one about, and so, though I hope I am a good American, it happens that I've more friends on the Continent than in the United States." 

 "And how does this strike you?" asked King, with a movement of his shoulder toward the men about the dismantled table. 

 "Oh, I don't know," laughed Clay.  "You've lived abroad yourself; how does it strike you?" 

 Clay was the first man to enter the drawing-room. He walked directly away from the others and over to Miss Langham, and, taking her fan out of her hands as though to assure himself of some hold upon her, seated himself with his back to every one else. 

 "You have come to finish that story?" she said, smiling. 

 Miss Langham was a careful young person, and would not have encouraged a man she knew even as well as she knew King, to talk to her through dinner, and after it as well. She fully recognized that because she was conspicuous certain innocent pleasures were denied her which other girls could enjoy without attracting attention or comment. But Clay interested her beyond her usual self, and the look in his eyes was a tribute which she had no wish to put away from her. 

 "I've thought of something more interesting to talk about," said Clay. "I'm going to talk about you. You see I've known you a long time." 

 "Since eight o'clock?" asked Miss Langham. 

 "Oh, no, since your coming out, four years ago." 

 "It's not polite to remember so far back," she said.  "Were you one of those who assisted at that important function? There were so many there I don't remember." 

 "No, I only read about it. I remember it very well; I had ridden over twelve miles for the mail that day, and I stopped half-way back to the ranch and camped out in the shade of a rock and read all the papers and magazines through at one sitting, until the sun went down and I couldn't see the print. One of the papers had an 

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