"Oh, I've considered it long enough--in fact I've considered a lot of things. That woman has bothered me in more ways than one, I tell you frankly. She's such a fine woman, splendid-looking, capable, an intellectual giant--one, I may say, who makes no common errors--and yet--" "Ah! and yet--?" There was then in Solon's eyes that curious reserve I had before noted--a reserve that hinted of some desperate but still secret design. "Well, there you are." "Where?" "Well--she seems to me to be a born leader of men." "I see, and you?" "Oh, nothing--only I'm a man. But something has got to be done. We must use common sense in these matters." It was early evening a week later when I again saw Solon; one of those still, serene evenings of later summer when the light would yet permit an hour's play at the game. I heard a step, but it was not she I longed, half-expected, and wholly dreaded to see. Instead came Solon, and by his restored confidence of bearing I knew at a glance that something had been done or--since he seemed to be hurried--that he was about to do it. "It's all over, Cal--it's fixed!" "Good--how did you fix it?" "Well--uh--I adopted a tone." "That was brave, Solon. No other man on God's earth would have dared--" "A tone, I was about to say--" he broke in a little uncomfortably, I thought--"which I have long contemplated adopting. If I could tell you just how that woman has impressed herself upon me, you'd understand what I mean when I say that she has _powers_. But I suppose you can't understand it, can you?" His tone, curiously enough, was almost pleading. "It isn't necessary that I should. I can at least understand that you are the Boss of Little Arcady once more." "Boss of nothing!--that's all over. Cal, I've abdicated--I'm not even Boss of myself." "Why, Solon--you can't possibly mean--" "I do, though! Mrs. Potts is going to marry me and--uh--put an end to everything!" With this rather curious finish he held out his hand expectantly. "Well, you certainly _did_ something, Solon." "We have to use common sense in these matters," he said with an effort to control his excitement. But, looking into his eyes, I saw reason to shake him warmly by the hand. What was my own poor opinion at a crisis like this? Certainly nothing to be obtruded upon my friend. It was clear that he had done a thing which he earnestly wanted and had earnestly dreaded to do--and that the dread was past. "I'm pretty happy, Cal--that's all. Of course you'll soon know how it is yourself." He referred here to the well-known fact that I was much in the company of Miss Lansdale. But this was a thing to be turned. "Oh, the game is teaching me resignation to a solitary life," I said with an affectation of disinterest that must have irritated him, for he asked bluntly:-- "Say, Calvin, how long do you intend to keep up that damned nonsense when everybody knows--"