laughed, "though we don't provide them as a rule before nine. Indeed,
the management have only just decided--this morning--on providing them
at all."

"How odd!"

"Why odd?" the girl questioned, taking off her hat and arranging her
curls before a mirror.

"Why, that I should have happened to strike the right moment! Had I
come here yesterday it would have been useless. As I said, you
hypnotized me. Evidently fate intended us to meet."

"Do you believe in fate?" the girl asked, shrugging her shoulders. "I
believe in nothing--least of all in men!"

"You say so!" Kelson observed, before he knew what he was saying. "And
yet you have just got engaged to one. But you've got a bad attack of
the pip this morning, you have had enough of it here--you want to get
another post."

The girl ceased doing her hair and eyed him in amazement. "Well!" she
said. "Of all the queer men I've ever met you are the queerest. Are
you a seer?"

"No!" Hamar observed, suddenly joining in. "He's only very hungry,
miss. Hungry body and soul! hungry all over. And so are we."

"Well, then, go into the room over there," the girl cried, pointing in
the direction of a half-open door, "and breakfast will be brought you