Sam looked after him. He walked with a quick, springy stride and wore a yellow and somewhat battered Panama hat. The horrible suspicion forced itself into Sam’s mind that the man was John Hall! Tom had said that he was tall and thin, and wore a ten-year-old Panama. Sam couldn’t be certain about the age of that hat, but it looked as if it might easily have seen ten summers, and the man was tall, decidedly tall and thin. There could be no doubt about it! Sam very cautiously moved to a window and gazed unseeingly into it, conscious of the amused glances of several bystanders and of the heightened colour in his face. What an idiot Mr. Hall must think him, he mused. Well, there was no use trying to find him in his office now, for he had disappeared in the throng in the other direction. Sam was heartily glad of it, for he had very little taste left for that visit. Perhaps to-morrow--or the next day---- He made his way back toward Cummings and Wright’s. He had meant to make a purchase there and had forgotten it. He was still thinking of that awkward moment on the sidewalk when he entered the store, and didn’t observe that Tom was busy with a customer until he had himself reached the counter. Even then he paid no heed to the man beside him until Tom caught sight of him, and grinned maliciously and observed: “Hello, Sam! How are directories selling?” Then, following the other’s glance, Sam discovered, to his embarrassment, that the customer was none other than the man in the Panama hat. The latter was selecting half a dozen golf balls from a box that Tom had presented, and had been very intent on his task until Tom’s greeting called the newcomer to his attention. Then he glanced up, and a smile of recognition came to his face. “Ah,” he said, “my late adversary!” Tom looked puzzled and Sam most unhappy. He tried to smile, but made a poor effort of it. The man in the Panama returned to a study of the golf balls. After a moment he completed his selection and nodded to Tom. “I’ll take these,” he said. Then, as Tom proceeded to do them up, he turned toward Sam, who was looking very intently at something in a show-case, and viewed him appraisingly. Sam, well aware of the scrutiny, felt his cheeks growing hot again. “I’ve been wondering ever since if it was an aëroplane,” said the man presently. Sam tried to pretend that he didn’t know the remark was addressed to him, but something compelled him to meet the issue. “What, sir?” he asked. “I said I’d been wondering if it was an aëroplane,” repeated the other. “I’m interested in aëroplanes and wouldn’t want to miss seeing one. It was that, wasn’t it?” “I--I don’t quite understand,” stammered Sam. “I refer to your intent study of the heavens,” replied the other, with deep gravity. “You seemed to be so absorbed----” “I was looking at the new building, sir. I--I’m sorry I was so stupid!” “So that was it? Well, I’m glad it wasn’t an aëroplane.”