"Only a toy," said Dr. Gentian, "and a costly one. I fear I am too fond of toys." He shut the panel with a smooth sound, and waved into the gloom. "The stair there leads direct to the main corridor--I find it convenient, but I will not make you climb any further beyond the moon." He chuckled and led the way down again. "I have always hankered after oddities--'tis my greatest defect. I never realize how I may fatigue others with my hobbies--as I fear I have fatigued you, this evening, Mr. Beard, by your face--" "Not at all, sir," said Andrew, untruthfully, seated in his chair again. He cleared his throat desperately. "Dr. Gentian--" he said. "Yes, Mr. Beard?--the bottle lies with you, I think--thank you." The little gurgle of the Doctor's wine into his glass put Andrew off unaccountably. For a moment be thoroughly wished himself heartwhole and a thousand miles away. But he set his teeth and brought up an image of Sparta to aid him. "Dr. Gentian--" he began again, with an unfortunate sense of repetition. "Pardon me," interrupted the smiling Doctor politely, "But your glass is already full. You may not have observed it." And Andrew discovered to his horror-that he was spilling a red stream on the table from an overflowing glass. "Sorry, I'm sure," he mumbled. "It is nothing," the Doctor assured him. "But I chance to have a peculiar affection for certain years. of Madeira. Pray continue, Mr. Beard--you will find it a trifle difficult to rest the bottle on a walnut--I mention it, merely--pray continue--" Andrew silently placed the bottle as far from him as possible and wetted his lips. "Dr. Gentian," he said for the third time, "I crave--I wish--May I humbly crave, sir, your permission to--" "You may certainly have my most willing permission to pay your addresses to my daughter, Sparta," said the Doctor, briskly snipping Andrew's disjoined stammerings in two. Then, seeing Andrew's stupefied face, he threw back his head and burst into a shout of laughter. "Why, you silly boy," he said, laughing and wiping the tears of laughter from his eyes, "D'you suppose I haven't seen where your heart's been drifting this last half-year? But the blindest worm in the ground's a crystal-gazer to a young man in love. Here, lad--" and he gave his hand to Andrew across the table. "Shake hands and don't look so solemn. You can have her if you can win her. I can say no more than that, for I won't force her--but that I'll say with a good conscience." "I can never thank you enough, sir," said Andrew, solemnly, shaking hands.