"Not a thing. The idea was new to me; that's all." "Persiflage and all that aside, why don't you take a stab at politics?" "Politics! Here in New York! I'd sooner go into Avernus of the easy descent. If you had a town to run all by yourself now, there might be something in it. That idea of yours as to going to work, while unquestionably novel, strikes me as rather clever." "No credit belongs to me," said Townes, "if I happened to be born brilliant instead of good-looking." "I'll ponder it," said Peter; and stretching out his great hand with a gesture which banished the subject, he pushed a service button and begged Townes to be so kind as to name his poison. Outside in the hall a voice just then called his name, and Maginnis answered. A young man in evening dress strolled through the doorway, a tallish, lithe young man with a pleasant clean-cut face and very light hair. It was evident enough that he patronized a good tailor. He glanced at the two men, nodded absently, and dropped without speech into a chair near the door. Townes eyed him somewhat quizzically. "Evening, Larry. A little introspective to-night, yes?" Peter said: "By bull luck you have stumbled into a company of gentlemen about to place an order. Go ahead. Mention a preference." The young man, unseeing eyes on Peter, did not answer. Instead, he sprang up, as though struck by a thought of marked interest and bolted out the door. They saw him vanish into the telephone booth across the hall and bang the glass door shut behind him. "Forgot an engagement." "You mean remembered one," said Peter. "It all figures out to the same answer," said Townes; and glancing presently at his watch, he announced that he must be trotting on. "But I've ordered something for you, man." "Varney can use it, can't he?" The door opened, and the tallish young man stood on the threshold again, this time social and affable. His distraitness, oddly enough, had all gone. He greeted the two in the smoking-room as though he had seen them for the first time that evening; expressed his pleasure at being in their company; inquired after their healths and late pursuits; pressed cigarettes upon them. They rallied him upon his furtive movements and fickle demeanor, but drew only badinage in kind, and no explanations; and Townes, laughing, turned to the door. "Dally with us yet a little while, Reggie." "No, gentles, no! I'm starting abroad to-night and have already dallied too long." "Abroad!" "My sister," said Townes, "as perhaps you don't know, wedded a foreigner--Willy Harcourt, born and raised in Brooklyn. Therefore, I am now leaving to go to a party in Brooklyn. Say that to yourself slowly--'a party in Brooklyn!' Sounds sort of ominous, doesn't it? If the worst happens, I look to you fellows to break it to my mother. Please mention that I was smiling to the last."