.
Good-night." "Good-night," nodded Selwyn, relighting his cigar.
He had no intention of remaining very long; he supposed that his sister and Eileen would be out late, wherever they were, and he merely meant to dream a bit longer before going back to bed.
He had been smoking for half an hour perhaps, lying deep in his chair, worn features dully illuminated by the sinking fire; and he was thinking about going--had again relighted his partly consumed cigar to help him with its fragrant companionship on his dark route homeward, when he heard a footfall on the landing, and turned to catch a glimpse of Gerald in overcoat and hat, moving silently toward the stairs.
"Hello, old fellow!" he said, surprised.

"I didn't know you were in the house." The boy hesitated, turned, placed something just outside the doorway, and came quickly into the room.
"Philip!" he said with a curious, excited laugh, "I want to ask you something.

I never yet came to you without asking something and--you never have failed me.

Would you tell me now what I had better do ?" "Certainly," said Selwyn, surprised and smiling; "ask me, old fellow.
You're not eloping with some nice girl, are you ?" "Yes," said Gerald, calm in his excitement, "I am." "What ?" repeated Selwyn gravely; "what did you say?
"You guessed it.

I came home and dressed and I'm going back to the Craigs' to marry a girl whose mother and father won't let me have her." "Sit down, Gerald," said Selwyn, removing the cigar from his lips; but: "I haven't time," said the boy.