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planhis idea's all nonsenseyou know that！〃
〃I certainly don't agree with him；〃 began Brimmer gravely； 〃but〃
〃The idea；〃 interrupted Markham； encouraged by Brimmer's beginning；
〃of his knocking around the Gulf of California； and getting up an
expedition to go inland； just because a mail…steamer saw a barque
like the Excelsior off Mazatlan last August。 As if the Excelsior
wouldn't have gone into Mazatlan if it had been her！ I tell you
what it is； Brimmer： it's mighty rough on you and me； and it ain't
the square thing at allafter all we've done； and the money we've
spent； and the nights we've sat up over the Excelsiorto have this
young fellow Keene always putting up the bluff of his lost sister
on us！ His lost sister； indeed！ as if WE hadn't any feelings。〃
The two men looked at each other； and each felt it incumbent to
look down and sigh deeplynot hypocritically； but perfunctorily；
as over a past grief； although anger had been the dominant
expression of the speaker。
〃I was about to remark；〃 said Brimmer practically； 〃that the
insurance on the Excelsior having been paid； her loss is a matter
of commercial record； and that； in a business point of view； this
plan of Keene's ain't worth looking at。 As a private matter of our
own feelingspurely domesticthere's no question but that we must
sympathize with him； although he refuses to let us join in the
expenses。〃
〃Oh； as to that；〃 said Markham hurriedly； 〃I told him to draw on me
for a thousand dollars last time I saw him。 No； sir； it ain't
that。 What gets me is this darned nagging and simpering around；
and opening old sores； and putting on sentimental style； and doing
the bereaved business generally。 I reckon he'd be even horrified
to see you and me herethough it was just a chance with both of us。〃
〃I think not；〃 said Brimmer dryly。 〃He knows Miss Montgomery
already。 They're going by the same steamer。〃
Markham looked up quickly。
〃Impossible！ She's going by the other line to Panama； that is〃he
hesitated〃I heard it from the agent。〃
〃She's changed her mind； so Keene says；〃 returned Brimmer。 〃She's
going by way of Nicaragua。 He stops at San Juan to reconnoitre the
coast up to Mazatlan。 Good…night。 It's no use waiting here for a
cab any longer； I'm off。〃
〃Hold on！〃 said Markham； struggling out of a sudden uneasy
reflection。 〃I say； Brimmer；〃 he resumed； with an enforced smile；
which he tried to make playful； 〃your engagement with Keene won't
keep you long。 What do you say to having a little supper with Miss
Montgomery； eh？perfectly proper； you knowat our hotel？ Just a
few friends； eh？〃
Brimmer's eyes and lips slightly contracted。
〃I believe I am already invited；〃 he said quietly。 〃Keene asked
me。 In fact； that's the appointment。 Strange he didn't speak of
you；〃 he added dryly。
〃I suppose it's some later arrangement；〃 Markham replied； with
feigned carelessness。 〃Do you know her？〃
〃Slightly。〃
〃You didn't say so！〃
〃You didn't ask me；〃 said Brimmer。 〃She came to consult me about
South American affairs。 It seems that filibuster General Leonidas；
alias Perkins； whose little game we stopped by that Peruvian
contract； actually landed in Quinquinambo and established a
government。 It seems she knows him； has a great admiration for him
as a Liberator； as she calls him。 I think they correspond！〃
〃She's a wonderful woman； by jingo； Brimmer！ I'd like to hear whom
she don't know；〃 said Markham； beaming with a patronizing vanity。
〃There's you； and there's that filibuster； and old Governor Pico；
that she's just snatched bald…headedI mean； you know； that he
recognizes her worth； don't you see？ Not like this cattle you see
here。〃
〃Are you coming with me？〃 said Brimmer； gravely buttoning up his
coat； as if encasing himself in a panoply of impervious
respectability。
〃I'll join you at the hotel；〃 said Markham hurriedly。 〃There's a
man over there in the parquet that I want to say a word to； don't
wait for me。〃
With a slight inclination of the head Mr。 Brimmer passed out into
the lobby； erect； self…possessed； and impeccable。 One or two of
his commercial colleagues of maturer age； who were loitering
leisurely by the wall； unwilling to compromise themselves by
actually sitting down； took heart of grace at this correct
apparition。 Brimmer nodded to them coolly； as if on 'Change； and
made his way out of the theatre。 He had scarcely taken a few steps
before a furious onset of wind and rain drove him into a doorway
for shelter。 At the same moment a slouching figure； with a turned…
up coat…collar； slipped past him and disappeared in a passage at
his right。 Partly hidden by his lowered umbrella； Mr。 Brimmer
himself escaped notice； but he instantly recognized his late
companion； Markham。 As he resumed his way up the street he glanced
into the passage。 Halfway down； a light flashed upon the legend
〃Stage Entrance。〃 Quincy Brimmer； with a faint smile； passed on to
his hotel。
It was striking half…past eleven when Mr。 Brimmer again issued from
his room in the Oriental and passed down a long corridor。 Pausing
a moment before a side hall that opened from it； he cast a rapid
look up and down the corridor； and then knocked hastily at a door。
It was opened sharply by a lady's maid； who fell back respectfully
before Mr。 Brimmer's all…correct presence。
Half reclining on a sofa in the parlor of an elaborate suite of
apartments was the woman whom Mr。 Brimmer had a few hours before
beheld on the stage of the theatre。 Lifting her eyes languidly
from a book that lay ostentatiously on her lap； she beckoned her
visitor to approach。 She was a woman still young； whose statuesque
beauty had but slightly suffered from cosmetics； late hours； and
the habitual indulgence of certain hysterical emotions that were
not only inconsistent with the classical suggestions of her figure；
but had left traces not unlike the grosser excitement of alcoholic
stimulation。 She looked like a tinted statue whose slight
mutations through stress of time and weather had been unwisely
repaired by freshness of color。
〃I am such a creature of nerves；〃 she said； raising a superb neck
and extending a goddess…like arm； 〃that I am always perfectly
exhausted after the performance。 I fly； as you see； to my first
lovepoetryas soon as Rosina has changed my dress。 It is not
generally knownbut I don't mind telling YOUthat I often nerve
myself for the effort of acting by reading some well…remembered
passage from my favorite poets； as I stand by the wings。 I quaff；
as one might say； a single draught of the Pierian spring before I
go on。〃
The exact relations between the humorous 〃walk round；〃 in which
Miss Montgomery usually made her first entrance； and the volume of
Byron she held in her hand； did not trouble Mr。 Brimmer so much as
the beautiful arm with which she emphasized it。 Neither did it
strike him