bitterly repent that you ever admitted me to your ante-chamber."

The President laughed aloud.

"That is the way to speak," said he. "You are a man who is a man.

You know the way to my heart, and can do what you like with me.

Will you," he continued, addressing Geraldine, "will you step aside

for a few minutes? I shall finish first with your companion, and

some of the club's formalities require to be fulfilled in private."

With these words he opened the door of a small closet, into which

he shut the Colonel.

"I believe in you," he said to Florizel, as soon as they were

alone; "but are you sure of your friend?"

"Not so sure as I am of myself, though he has more cogent reasons,"

answered Florizel, "but sure enough to bring him here without

alarm. He has had enough to cure the most tenacious man of life.

He was cashiered the other day for cheating at cards."

"A good reason, I daresay," replied the President; "at least, we

have another in the same case, and I feel sure of him. Have you

also been in the Service, may I ask?"

"I have," was the reply; "but I was too lazy, I left it early."

"What is your reason for being tired of life?" pursued the

President.

"The same, as near as I can make out," answered the Prince;

"unadulterated laziness."

The President started. "D-n it," said he, "you must have something

better than that."

"I have no more money," added Florizel. "That is also a vexation,

without doubt. It brings my sense of idleness to an acute point."

The President rolled his cigar round in his mouth for some seconds,

directing his gaze straight into the eyes of this unusual neophyte;

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