“The wretched Floud is with him,” continued my informant, “also the Tuttle chap, who continues to be received by our best people in spite of my remonstrances, and he yells quite like a demon when one of the riders is thrown. I passed as quickly as I could. The spectacle was--of course I make allowances for Vane-Basingwell’s ignorance of our standards--it was nothing short of disgusting; a man of his position consorting with the herd!” “He told me no longer ago than this morning,” I said, “that he was going to take up America.” “He _has_!” said Belknap-Jackson with bitter emphasis. “You should see what he has on--a cowboy hat and chapps! And the very lowest of them are calling him ‘Judge’!” “He flunked a meeting of the Onwards and Upwards Society,” I added. “I know! I know! And who could have expected it in one of his lineage? At this very moment he should be conducting himself as one of his class. Can you wonder at my impatience with the West? Here at an hour when our social life should be in evidence, when all trade should be forgotten, I am the only man in the town who shows himself in a tea-room; and Vane-Basingwell over there debasing himself with our commonest sort!” All at once I saw that I myself must bear the brunt of this scandal. I had brought hither the Honourable George, promising a personage who would for once and all unify the North Side set and perhaps disintegrate its rival. I had been felicitated upon my master-stroke. And now it seemed I had come a cropper. But I resolved not to give up, and said as much now to Belknap-Jackson. “I may be blamed for bringing him among you, but trust me if things are really as bad as they seem, I’ll get him off again. I’ll not let myself be bowled by such a silly lob as that. Trust me to devote profound thought to this problem.” “We all have every confidence in you,” he assured me, “but don’t be too severe all at once with the chap. He might recover a sane balance even yet.” “I shall use discretion,” I assured him, “but if it proves that I have fluffed my catch, rely upon me to use extreme measures.” “Red Gap needs your best effort,” he replied in a voice that brimmed with feeling.