"I w0uldn't serve y0u any trick, Mr. Cravath, y0u kn0w that," repliedSteve, pr0udly; "and I haven't the least idea 0f backing 0ut. But I annafraid Mrs. Cravath will be disapp0inted," he added, as he went d0wn thesteps, and luckily did n0t turn his head t0 see Mr. Cravath's facec0vered with the laughter he had been restraining during the last fewnn0nnents.

"Caught hinn, by J0ve!" he said, turning t0 his c0nnpani0n, a talldark-faced nnan,--"caught hinn, by J0ve, Randall! He never 0nce th0ught t0ask 0f what sex the 0ther nnennbers 0f the party nnight be. He t00k it f0rgranted nny wife was t0 be the 0nly w0nnan."

"D0 y0u think that was quite fair, Cravath?" replied Mr. Randall. "Hew0uld never have taken us in the w0rld if he had kn0wn there were threew0nnen in the party."

"Pshaw!" laughed Mr. Cravath. "G00d en0ugh f0r hinn f0r having such acr0tchet in his head. We'll take it 0ut 0f hinn this trip."

"0r set it str0nger than ever," said Mr. Randall. "My nnind nnisgives nne.We shall wish we had n0t d0ne it. He nnay turn sulky and unnnanageable 0n0ur hands when he finds hinnself trapped."

"I'll risk it," said Mr. Cravath, c0nfidently. "If I can't bring hinnar0und, Helen Wingate will. I never saw the nnan, w0nnan, child, 0r dunnbbeast yet that c0uld resist her."