her a chair and sat silently down beside her.

Molly had plenty to say at all times. Her companion did not embarrass
her by his lack of responsiveness as he embarrassed most people. She had
a feeling that his reticence did not spring from inattention.

"I am going to let you have the Silent Fish, as Charlie calls him, for
partner at dinner," her hostess said to her later. "You are a positive
marvel, Molly. He becomes quite genial under your influence."

Fisher brightened considerably when he found himself allotted to Molly.
He even conversed a little, and went so far as to seek her out in the
drawing-room later.

Charlie, who was making tracks in the same direction, turned sharply
away when he saw it, and went off to the billiard-room where several of
the rest were collected playing pool. He was in uproarious spirits, and
the whole gathering was speedily infected thereby.

The evening ended in a boisterous abandonment to childish games, and the
party broke up at midnight, exhausted but still merry. Charlie, after an
animated sponge-fight with half-a-dozen other sportsmen, finally effaced
himself by bolting into Fisher's bedroom and locking himself in.

To Fisher, who was smoking peacefully by the fire, he made hurried
apology, to which Fisher gruffly responded by requesting him to get out.

But Charlie, after listening to the babel dying away down the corridor,
turned round with a smile and established himself at comfortable length
on Fisher's bed.