“I'm so sorry. Well, I'll meet you at Sherry's at five.” “Don't forget,” he said. “I won't keep you waiting,” she assured him. He left the telephone-booth smiling, master of himself. His youth made his sense of relative values imperfect. That made him harrow his own feelings with the utmost ease, and also made him cease the self-torture with equal facility. He rode up-town, thinking quite comfortably of his departure from New York and of his arrival in Dayton, and succeeded in strengthening his own resolve to put an end to the secret somehow. He arrived at his college dub. Luck was with him. Rivington, having been a steady loser, was still playing billiards. “Hello, Tommy, how did you make out?” “Complete success!” “Great-oh!” And Rivington made a mis-cue. “Great-oh!” echoed Rivington's opponent. “Thank you, Tommily.” Rivington approached Tommy and shook hands warmly. “Did he take the whole cheese?” “Yes. He's a brick! And, say, we are to meet Marion at five at Sherry's.” “What for?” “I'm going back to Dayton to-night.” “Are you crazy?” exclaimed Rivington, stepping back in alarm. “I work for a living, lad,” said Tommy, paternally. “Well, you'd better give it up before it is too late. Why, Tommy, I had planned a series of professional visits--Ha, that ends the succession of scratches, James.” And he left Tommy for the billiard-table. Tommy looked at him, at Jim Rogers, at the other fellow-alumni about the other tables. A pleasant enough life, mild, wholesome amusements for decent chaps, who enjoyed one another's company--and didn't work. No life for him! He recalled the oily odors of the shop. They made him almost homesick! No life for him, this! “Remember,” he called to Rivington, “I'll come back for you in thirty-two minutes.” “It would be a kindness to take him out now, Tommily,” remarked Jim Rogers. Nice children, these, thought old Mr. Thomas P. Leigh as he left the billiard-room. Rivington's luck had turned when Tommy called for him; but he only grumbled a little as they left the dub. He was very fond of his sister; and then there was his loyalty toward an unfortunate friend whose fortunes he had shared at college. They found a table in a corner--selected by Tommy as far from the madding crowd as he could get it--and while they waited few Marion, who had promised not to keep them waiting, Tommy told Rivington all about his deal with Colonel Willetts. Rivington did not appear interested enough in the investment to suit Tommy, so young Mr. Leigh explained sternly what Thompson meant to do, and told him what manner of man Thompson was and all about the experiments, and why all the stockholders must be interested in the work and the experiments, until Rivington became quite excited. “Say, that's some man, Tommy!” Tommy smiled tolerantly and nodded. “Don't be so confoundedly superior,” cried Rivington. “You needn't think you can make me believe that your experimental boss has put a new brain in your coco.”