"You can never guess, Captain Selwyn."

"I don't want to. Who was he?"

"Please don't terminate so abruptly the few subjects we have in reserve.
We may be obliged to talk to each other for a number of minutes if
Rosamund doesn't let us alone. . . . The man was 'Boots' Lansing."

"'Boots!' Here!"

"Arrived from Manila Sunday. _Sans gêne_ as usual he introduced you as
the subject, and told me--oh, dozens of things about you. I suppose he
began inquiring for you before he crossed the troopers' gangplank; and
somebody sent him to Neergard & Co. Haven't you seen him?"

"No," he said, staring at the brilliant fish, which glided along the
crystal tank, goggling their eyes at the lights.

"You--you are living with the Gerards, I believe," she said carelessly.

"For a while."

"Oh, 'Boots' says that he is expecting to take an apartment with you
somewhere."

"What! Has 'Boots' resigned?"

"So he says. He told me that you had resigned. I did not understand
that; I imagined you were here on leave until I heard about Neergard &