Even this enlightened editor saw that a man who had suffered prison blight was a kind of frost-bitten plum. I left him with a feeling of discouragement in the world and its progress. Before a week had passed I was summoned to the home of Norris and found him ill in bed. He was in the midst of a nervous breakdown which had seemed to begin with a critical attack of indigestion. It wearied him even to sign and execute his will, and I saw him for only a few minutes, and not again for months. He improved rapidly, and one day Gwendolyn Norris called at my office. The family were sailing for Hamburg within a week to spend the rest of the winter at Carlsbad and Saint Moritz. She said: “Father wishes me to begin my business career, and so I've been looking after the details, and you must tell me if there's anything that I have forgotten.” I went over all the arrangements regarding cats and dogs and horses and tickets and hotel accommodations, and then asked, playfully: “What provision have you made for the young men you are leaving?” “There's only, one,” said she, with laughing eyes, “and he can take care of himself. He doesn't seem to need any of my help. But he's fine. I recommend him to you as a friend.” “Yes, I understand. You want me to get his confidence and see that he goes to bed early and doesn't forget his friends.” She blushed and laughed, and added: “Or get into bad company!” “You're a regular ward politician!” I said. “Don't worry. I'll keep my eye on him.” “You don't even know his name,” she declared. “Don't I? The name Richard is written all over your face.” “How uncanny!” she exclaimed. “I'm going to leave you.” Then she added, with a playful look in her eyes, “You know it's a dangerous place for American girls who--who are unattached.” “We don't want to frighten him.” “It wouldn't be possible--he's awfully brave,” said she, with a merry laugh as she left me. That was the last I saw of them before they sailed. My friend had taken his doctor with him, and soon the latter wrote me from the mountain resort that Norris had improved, but that I must not appeal to him in any matter of business. All excitement would be bad for him, and if it came suddenly might lead to fatal results. IV.--A RATHER SWIFT ADVENTURE WITH THE PIRATE MIDWINTER had arrived when the checked current of our little history became active again. My wife had thought that our life in Pointview was a trifle sluggish, and we had been in town for two weeks. I had recommended the Waldorf-Castoria as being good for sluggish livers, but Betsey preferred the Manhattan. We were there when this telegram reached me from Chicago. _W. left for N. Y. this morning, broke. He will call on you. Important news by mail._ I expected to have some fun with him, and did. The same mail brought the “important news” and a note from Wilton, which said: _I must see you within twenty-four hours. The need is pressing. Please wire appointment._