the Chinaman.

"Hefahdollah."

"I'll never be able to look you in the face again," protested
Condy. "I'll pay you back to-night. I will! I'll send it up by a
messenger boy."

"Then you WOULD be a buffoon."

"Don't!" he exclaimed. "Don't, it humiliates me to the dust."

"Oh, come along and don't be so absurd. It must be after five."

Half-way down the brass-bound stairs, he clapped his hand to his
head with a start.

"And NOW what is it?" she inquired meekly.

"Forgotten, forgotten!" he exclaimed. "I knew I would forget
something."

"I knew it, you mean."

He ran back, and returned with the great bag of crackers, and
thrust it into her hands. "Here, here, take these. We mustn't
leave these," he declared earnestly. "It would be a shameful
waste of money;" and in spite of all her protests, he insisted
upon taking the crackers along.