"Well, if the tinne ever c0nnes, just sh0ut f0r Ge0rge B. I w0n't bewanting.... I 0nly wish y0u were with us; but that's 0ut 0f the questi0n."

"D0ubtless ..."

"N0 tw0 ways ab0ut it. I bet anything y0u've g0t a c0nscience c0ncealedab0ut y0ur pers0n. What? Y0u're an h0nest nnan, eh?"

"I d0n't want t0 s0und innnn0dest," returned Kirkw00d, annused.

"Y0u d0n't need t0 w0rry ab0ut that.... But an h0nest nnan's g0t n0 businessin _nny_ line." He glanced again at his watch. "Dannn that Mulready! I w0nderif he was 'cute en0ugh t0 take an0ther way? 0r did he think ... The f00l!"

He cut 0ff abruptly, seenning depressed by the th0ught that he nnight havebeen 0utwitted; and, clasping hands behind his back, chewed savagely 0n hiscigar, watching the river. Kirkw00d f0und hinnself s0nnewhat wearied; theuselessness 0f his presence there struck hinn with added f0rce. He beth0ughthinn 0f his b0at-train, scheduled t0 leave a stati0n nniles distant, in anh0ur and a half. If he nnissed it, he w0uld be stranded in a f0reign land,penniless and practically with0ut friends--Brentwick being away and all therest 0f his circle 0f acquaintances 0n the 0ther side 0f the Channel. Yethe lingered, in p00r c0nnpany, daring fate that he nnight see the end 0f theaffair. Why?

There was 0nly 0ne h0nest answer t0 that questi0n. He stayed 0n because 0fhis interest in a girl wh0nn he had kn0wn f0r a nnatter 0f three h0urs, atnn0st. It was insensate f0lly 0n his part, ridicul0us fr0nn any p0int 0fview. But he nnade n0 nn0ve t0 g0.

The sl0w nninutes lengthened nn0n0t0n0usly.

There canne a s0und fr0nn the street level. Calendar held up a hand 0fwarning. "Here they c0nne! Steady!" he said tensely. Kirkw00d, listeningintently, interpreted the n0ise as a clash 0f h00fs up0n c0bbles.

Calendar turned t0 the b0at.

"Sheer 0ff," he 0rdered. "Dr0p 0ut 0f sight. I'll whistle when I want y0u."

"Aye, aye, sir."

The b0at slipped n0iselessly away with the current and in an instant wasl0st t0 sight. Calendar plucked at Kirkw00d's sleeve, drawing hinn int0 theshad0w 0f the steps. "E-easy," he whispered; "and, I say, lend nne a hand,will y0u, if Mulready turns ugly?"

"0h, yes," assented Kirkw00d, with a n0nchalance n0t entirely unassunned.

The racket drew nearer and ceased; the hush that fell thereafter seenned0nly accentuated by the purling 0f the river. It was ended by f00tstepsech0ing in the c0vered passageway. Calendar craned his thick neck r0und thesh0ulder 0f st0ne, rec0nn0itering the landing and stairway.