"I--I suppose you are living here now?" asked Mr. Dobbins. "No," said Jack. "Personally I don't care particularly for New York. I am just in town for a few days, stopping at the Waldorf." "Why, so are we," interrupted the girl. "Then," said Jack, gallantly, "the Waldorf possesses even greater attractions than I had supposed." The girl blushed a rosy red, and the old gentleman fairly beamed. "Glad to have you take dinner with us, Mr. Vanderpoel," he said. "Thank you," said Jack. "I shall be charmed to do so if I can. I sort of half promised Mr. Bondifeller to take a snack with him this evening, but"--this with a killing glance at the blushing Miss Dobbins "but I guess he can wait. To tell you the truth, Mr. Dobbins, these New York millionaires bore me to death. At what time shall we foregather?" "Suppose we say seven?" said the old gentleman. "My lucky number," said Jack, with a gracious smile, which set the heart of Miss Dobbins all of a-flutter. So passed the hours away. Jack found himself growing momentarily more deeply impressed with the beauty of the maiden at his side, and by the time the young people had reached the hotel it had become a pronounced case of pure and ardent love. As they entered the Waldorf one of the employees of the hotel rushed excitedly up to the young billionaire, breathless with the importance of a communication intrusted to him. "Mr. Rockernegie is on the wire--wants to speak to you immediately, sir," he panted. "Tell him I'm busy," said Jack, entering the tea-room and ordering a slight repast for Miss Dobbins and her father. A moment later the messenger returned, more breathless than before. "Sorry, sir," said the boy, "but Mr. Rockernegie says he must see you right away, sir." Jack frowned as though deeply annoyed, and his answer came with an incisive coldness that froze Mr. Dobbins almost to the marrow. "Go back to that 'phone and tell the gentleman that it will take the biggest search-light in the amalgamated navies of the world to enable him to get even a bird's-eye view of me until I get good and ready," he said. "Er--tell him he can come to my office at ten-thirty to-morrow morning if he wants to, only he mustn't be late. Just impress that on his mind." Mr. Dobbins choked and coughed apoplectically. "Don't let us interfere with any of your engagements, Mr. Vanderpoel," he sputtered. "That's all right, Mr. Dobbins," said Jack. "I wish you'd invest seven or eight million for me," said Dobbins, with a sheepish glance at Jack. "I know it isn't much, but--" "Risky business, speculating, Mr. Dobbins," said Jack, bravely, although the suggestion had nearly knocked him off his chair. "Better hang on to your pennies, now that you've got 'em." "Oh, I've got eight or ten more where they came from," chuckled the old man. "Then, sir," said Jack, as calmly as he knew how, "the best investment for you is in Miss Amanda Dobbins Preferred, a stock of priceless value."