The voice was rich, cheery, light-hearted, agreeable; all that my
own was not as I answered "Nothing!" for this was not the first time
my next-door neighbor had tried to scrape acquaintance with me.

"But surely, sir, I heard the very dickens of a row?"

"You may have done."

"I was afraid some one had broken into your room!"

"As a matter of fact," said I, put to shame by the undiminished
good-humor of my neighbor, "some one did; but he's gone now, so
let him be."

"Gone? Not he! He's getting over that wall. After him - after
him!" And the head disappeared from the window next mine.

I rushed into the corridor, and was just in time to intercept a
singularly handsome young fellow, at whom I had hardly taken the
trouble to look until now. He was in full evening dress, and his
face was radiant with the spirit of mischief and adventure.

"For God's sake, sir," I whispered, "let this matter rest. I shall
have to come forward if you persist, and Heaven knows I have been
before the public quite enough!"

His dark eyes questioned me an instant, then fell as though he would
not disguise that he recollected and understood . I liked him for
his good taste. I liked him for his tacit sympathy, and better