On this particular afternoon Kendale had lain in wait for his cousin at
the entrance of Marsh & Co.'s to waylay him when he came from the
office. He must see him, he told himself, and Lester must let him have
another loan.

Lester Armstrong was glad from the bottom of his true, honest heart to
see him, but his brow clouded over with a troubled expression when he
learned that he wanted to borrow five hundred dollars. That amount
seemed small, indeed, to the lordly Kendale, but to Lester it meant
months of toil and rigid self-denial.

"Come into the café, and while we lunch I will explain to you why I must
have it, old fellow," said Kendale, always ready with some plausible
story on his glib tongue.

"Haven't time now," declared Armstrong. "I must catch the five-twenty
train from the Grand Central Depot; haven't a moment to lose. I will be
back on the nine o'clock train. If you will come over to my lodging
house then I'll talk with you. I cannot let you have the sum you want.
I'll tell you why then, and you will readily understand my position. Ah,
this is your corner. We part here. Wish me luck on the trip I am about
to take, for I never had more need for your good wishes."

"You are not going off to be married, I hope?" exclaimed Kendale in the
greatest of astonishment.

A light-hearted, happy, ringing laugh broke from Armstrong's mustached
lips, the color rushed into his face, and his brown eyes twinkled
merrily.