Sunwich, and I'm told there's no man knows more about the business and
the ins and outs of this town than you do."

Mr. Wilks thawed despite himself. His face glistened and his huge mouth
broke into tremulous smiles. For a moment he hesitated, and then
noticing that a little group near them had suspended their conversation
to listen to his he drew his chair back and, in a kind voice, invited the
searcher after wisdom to step inside.

Hardy thanked him, and, following him in, took a chair behind the door,
and with an air of youthful deference bent his ear to catch the pearls
which fell from the lips of his host. Since he was a babe on his
mother's knee sixty years before Mr. Wilks had never had such an
attentive and admiring listener. Hardy sat as though glued to his chair,
one eye on Mr. Wilks and the other on the clock, and it was not until
that ancient timepiece struck the hour that the ex-steward suddenly
realized the awkward state of affairs.

"Any more 'elp I can give you I shall always be pleased to," he said,
looking at the clock.

Hardy thanked him at great length, wondering, as he spoke, whether Miss
Nugent was of punctual habits. He leaned back in his chair and, folding
his arms, gazed thoughtfully at the perturbed Mr. Wilks.

"You must come round and smoke a pipe with me sometimes," he said,
casually.

Mr. Wilks flushed with gratified pride. He had a vision of himself
walking up to the front door of the Hardys, smoking a pipe in a