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"But I sent you a reply wire?"

"Oh, yes--that's all right! But reply wires don't always clinch business Yours arrived last night"

"I wonder if it was ever delivered!" grumbled Gwent--"It was addressed to the Plaza Hotel--not to a hut on a hill!"

Seaton laughed

"You've heard all about it I see! But the hut on the hill is a 'dependence' of the Plaza--a sort of annex where dyingly--"And I can't hed

"I' men! One may die a little faster than another, but it's all the sas a tale!' What's the news in Washington?"

They walked up the hill slowly, side by side

"Not startling"--answered Gwent--then paused--and repeated--"Not startling--there's nothing startling nowadays--though so startled when my nephew Jack shot himself"

Seaton stopped in his walk

"Shot hi to the coroner Everybody is called 'insane' who gets out of the world when it's too difficult to live in Some people would call it sane I call it just--cowardice! Jack had lost his last chance, you see Morgana Royal threw hi with a velvet-footed stride like a tiger on a trail

"Had she led him on?"

"Rather! She leads all men 'on'--or they think she does She led YOU on at one tie h her froave a short cough, expressing incredulity

"Well! Washington thought you were the favoured 'catch' and envied your luck! Certainly she showed a great preference for you--"

"Can't you talk of soave hilance

"Why, of course I can!" he responded--"But I thought I'd tell you about Jack--"

"I'm sorry!" said Seaton, hastily, conscious that he had been lacking in syht have been, had he kept a bit straighter"--said Gwent--"But heirs are no good anywhere or anyhow They only spend what they inherit and waste the honest work of a life-time Is that your prize palace?"