"Please sit right here, Mr. Jones!" he insisted, with an easy, flattering smile. "Where did you disappear to after supper? I've been looking all over for you. I want to hear some more of those famous stories of yours! Tell me how to get him started, Miss Buckley," he added, with mock appeal and turning his dazzling smile on Millie. "Oh, daddy just starts himself!" she answered, laughing. Bill dropped into the chair and crossed his legs. Gingerly he took the cigar Thomas offered him. "I want to hear about some of your experiences in the Civil War," Thomas urged. "Why, I have heard that you were in most of the big battles!" Bill glanced at his smiling questioner with an odd look. With great deliberation he bit off the end of the cigar. "I was in all them battles but two," he said, finally, holding up the cigar and subjecting it to a minute inspection. "Yes?" Thomas encouraged. "Allow me to light the cigar, Mr. Jones!" Bill gave him a quizzical glance at this unusual attention, a glance that apparently was quite lost on Thomas. "Sure. All but two," said Bill, taking a long pull at the cigar. "I was in Washington on private business when them two was goin' on. I was greatly disappointed." "I can imagine so!" exclaimed Thomas. "You can imagine a lot o' things, can't you?" said Bill, unexpectedly. "I often imagine I never saw some people. It makes you feel better. But about them battles. Ye know Grant 'd never won the battle of Lookout Mountain if it hadn't been for me--" "Indeed!" cried Thomas, in a tone of pleasant surprise. "Nope. I was the only man he would let look out." Thomas laughed effusively and gently tapped Bill on the back. "Capital!" he exclaimed. "You must tell me some more later on. And you've got to come to town with me some time, Mr. Jones. But"--and for a moment he turned his brilliant smile on Millie and Mrs. Jones--"I've been thinking ever since supper of that great idea of yours about turning this place into a hotel for the broken-hearted. Really, I've given much serious thought to it, as I was telling your wife just before you and Miss Buckley joined us. I am so interested in you all that I hate to act like a damper, but I have very grave doubts about it being a paying proposition. And then I fear none of you have taken into consideration the vast amount of work, preparation, and alteration the scheme will entail. Now, as you are doing this to--er--well, to improve the financial yield of the establishment--you have flattered me by deeming me worthy of your confidence, Mrs. Jones, so perhaps I need not hesitate over words--it seems to me that we might find some other and easier way of accomplishing the desired object--" "Hello, Lem! Come an' set down," called Bill, calmly interrupting the above flow of words and addressing a tall, rather impressive and distinguished-looking man of about forty who had come up the veranda steps.