“Oh, I didn’t tell you that, did I?” returned Mrs. Tucker ingenuously. “I just wanted to tell you that, now that we’re stock-holders to a reasonable amount—Ralph retained a few shares, you know, and holds a proxy for mine—we look at the matter from an entirely different viewpoint, and we think that every reasonable precaution should be taken to avoid poor risks, as you call them. We are highly gratified by the evidence of caution that has inadvertently come under our notice, even if there was an incidental error that baffled human foresight.” The sudden and startling changes of position by this young woman were too much for both Murray and the doctor; they could only look at her in amazement as she calmly commended their course. “You have brought us all this distance to tell us that!” ejaculated Murray at last. “Yes.” “Well, it’s worth the trip!” he announced, as he recalled the events of the last year. Then Tucker appeared, big, strong, bronzed, hearty, and shook hands with them. Never a weakling in appearance, his year of outdoor life had made him the embodiment of health. He beamed upon his guests with hearty good nature as he gave them each a grip that made them wince. His wife regarded him critically for a moment. “Poor Ralph!” she said mischievously, and then she hastily assured them that this was really the last of the joke. AN INCIDENTAL FAILURE Adolph Schlimmer’s wink was of the self-satisfied variety that plainly says to the person at whom it is directed, “They’re mostly fools in this world—except you and me, and I’m not quite sure about you.” Adolph Schlimmer was a small man, but he thought he had enough worldly wisdom and sharpness for a giant. “You bet you, I don’t get fooled very much,” he boasted. Just now his wink was directed at Carroll Brown, an insurance solicitor. “How much iss there in it for you?” he asked. “Oh, I get my commission, of course,” replied Brown. “Sure, sure,”—and again Adolph winked. “You don’t need it all, maybe.” “Why not?” asked Brown with disconcerting frankness. “I’m entitled to what I earn.” “Sure, sure,” admitted Adolph, somewhat annoyed. “It’s vorth something to you to make the money, ain’t it, yes? I gif you the chance. It might be vorth something to me, perhaps, maybe.” “Oh, if you want me to divide my commission with you,” exclaimed Brown, “we might as well quit talking right here. It would cost me my job, if anybody found it out.” “Who iss to find it out? I bet you, if people could find out things, we’d haf more people in jail than out. Some big men, vorth millions, would haf to live a century to serf their time out. The boss discharges hiss clerk for doin’ what he iss doin’ himself.” “It’s against the law,” argued Brown. “It’s a rebate on premiums and is prohibited.” “Sure, sure,” conceded Adolph again. “But you got to do something to make business, ain’t it? I gif premiums and I get discounts. There don’t nobody fool me very much.”