"Why may not I form a harmless unit of it ?" "Why not, indeed ?" Draconmeyer assented heartily.

"The most serious of us must have our frivolous moments.

I hope that you will dine with us to-night?
We shall be quite alone." Hunterleys shook his head.
"Thank you," he said, "I have another engagement pending." Mr.Draconmeyer was filled with polite regrets, but he did not renew the invitation.
"When did you arrive ?" he asked.
"A few hours ago," Hunterleys replied.
"By the Luxe?
How strange! I went down to meet it." "I came from the other side." "Ah!" Mr.Draconmeyer's ejaculation was interrogative, Hunterleys hesitated for a moment.

Then he continued with a little shrug of the shoulders.
"I have been staying at San Remo and Bordighera." Mr.Draconmeyer was much interested.
"So that is where you have been burying yourself," he remarked.

"I saw from the papers that you had accepted a six months' pair.