man, a short distance in advance, caught his eye, and he paused
until he came up.

"Elbridge! The very one I wished to see!" he exclaimed, in a low
voice, as he extended his hand and grasped that of his friend. "I've
just been to your house. Did you forget that I was to call around?"

"I didn't understand you to say, certainly, that you would call, or
I should have made it a point to be at home. But no matter. All in
good time. I'm on my way home now, and you will please return with
me."

"I don't know about that," said Wilkinson, who could not forget his
promise to his wife. "I told Mary, when I went out, that I would
only be gone half an hour, and that time has expired already."

"Oh, never mind," returned the other, lightly. "She'll forgive you,
I'll be bound. Tell her that you came home, in all obedience to her
wishes, but that I met you at your own door, and carried you off in
spite of yourself."

And as Elbridge said this, he drew his arm within that of Wilkinson,
and the two men went chatting away.

Elbridge was fond of good wine, and always kept a few choice bottles
on hand. Wilkinson knew this; and, if he had looked narrowly into
his heart on the present occasion, he would have discovered that the
wine of his friend had for him a stronger attraction than his
company.