Monsieur Pelletan coughed deprecatingly and deposited his plump body on the extreme edge of a chair. It was easy to see that he was much depressed--his usually rosy cheeks hung flaccid, his mustachios drooped limply, his little black eyes were suffused and needed frequent wiping--a service performed by a hand that was none too steady. "Eet iss a matter of pusiness, monsieur," he began, falteringly. "You haf perhaps perceive' t'at our custom hass fallen off." Rushford glanced about the deserted smoking-room. "No," he said; "I haven't seen any to fall off. I've been wondering how you managed to pay out." "Ah, monsieur," cried Pelletan, wringing his hands, "t'at iss eet--I haf been paying out unt paying out until t'e las' franc iss gone. I wass at no time reech, monsieur; at t'is moment I am in ruins!" And, indeed, he looked the part. "You mean you'll have to shut up shop?" inquired Rushford. "Eet preaks my heart to say eet, monsieur; but I fear eet will come to t'at, unless--" "Unless what?" asked Rushford, eyeing him as he hesitated. "Unless I shall pe able to interes' monsieur--" Rushford grunted and stared out of the window at the dunes, puffing his cigar meditatively. He thought of the comfortable bed, of the admirable cuisine--he would hate to give them up. It would mean going to the other hotel, and the mere idea made him shiver. Anything but that! His host watched him in an agony of apprehension. "What does it cost a day to run this shebang?" asked the American at last. Monsieur Pelletan, with feverish haste, produced a paper from his pocket. "I haf anticipate' monsieur's question; t'is statement will show heem." Rushford took it and glanced at the total. "Hmmmm. Four hundred and eighty francs--say a hundred dollars." "T'at, monsieur," explained Pelletan, "iss based upon our present custom. As pusiness increase', so do t'e expense increase." "Of course." "But not in t'e same ratio as t'e receipts. A full house wins so much as six hundret francs t'e tay." "Yes," assented Rushford, "a full house is a mighty nice thing. But now you seem to be holding only a bob-tail." "A pop-tail?" "No matter--go ahead with the story. You say it costs you a hundred dollars a day to keep your doors open. What's the heaviest item?" "T'e greates' item at present iss t'e chef. He iss a fery goot one--I haf feared to let heem go." "That was right. You'd better not let him go if you want to keep us here. How many rooms have you?" Pelletan produced a second slip of paper. "For t'at, also, I wass prepared, my tear Monsieur Rushford," he said. "T'e tariff of charges iss also t'ere." Rushford looked it over with some care. Then he stared out across the sands again, the corners of his mouth twitching. Evidently the proposal appealed to his sense of humour. "See here, Pelletan," he said, abruptly, turning back, "is there a hoodoo on the house, or what's the matter?" "A--I peg monsieur's pardon," stammered Pelletan.