"'Why not?'

"'Because I'm a born fool. We're fettered; we're prisoners of
luxury.'

"Only a night or two before I had seen his wife at a reception with
a rope of pearls in her riggin' an' a search-light o' diamonds on
her forward deck an' a tiara-boom-de-ay at her masthead an' the
flags of opulence flyin' fore an' aft.

"'If I were you,' I said, 'I'd sell everything--even the jewels.'

"'My poor wife!' he exclaimed. 'I haven't the heart to tell her
all. She don't know how hard up we are!'

"'I wouldn't neglect her education if I were you,' I said.
'There's a kindness, you know, that's most unkind. Some day I
shall write an article on the use an' abuse of tiaras--poor things!
It isn't fair to overwork the family tiara. I suggest that you get
a good-sized trunk an' lock it up with the other jewels for a
vacation. If necessary your house could be visited by a
burglar--that is, if you wanted to save the feelin's of your wife.'

"He turned with a puzzled look at me.

"'Is it possible that you haven't heard of that trick?' I asked--'a
man of your talents!'

"He shook his head.