And Cyrus, somehow, told his troubles.

At first Dr. Lavendar chuckled; then he frowned. "Gussie put you up to
this, Cy--_rus_?" he said.

"Well, my wife's a woman," Cyrus began, "and they're keener on such
matters than men; and she said perhaps you would--would--"

_"What?"_ Dr. Lavendar rapped on the table with the bowl of his pipe, so
loudly that Danny opened one eye. "Would what?"

"Well," Cyrus stammered, "you know, Dr. Lavendar, as Gussie says,
'there's no fo--'"

"You needn't finish it," Dr. Lavendar interrupted, dryly; "I've heard it
before. Gussie didn't say anything about a young fool, did she?" Then he
eyed Cyrus. "Or a middle-aged one? I've seen middle-aged fools that
could beat us old fellows hollow."

"Oh, but Mrs. North is far beyond middle age," said Cyrus, earnestly.

Dr. Lavendar shook his head. "Well, well!" he said. "To think that
Alfred Price should have such a--And yet he is as sensible a man as I
know!"

"Until now," Cyrus amended. "But Gussie thought you'd better caution
him. We don't want him, at his time of life, to make a mistake."

"It's much more to the point that I should caution you not to make a
mistake," said Dr. Lavendar; and then he rapped on the table again,