pink carnation, and in his gloved hand he carried a straight, gold-
headed cane. A silk hat covered his head, from beneath which showed
a slightly empurpled countenance, with bushy white eyebrows, a white
moustache, and a pair of rather bloodshot, but kindly, blue eyes.
In spite of his somewhat pudgy rotundity, he carried himself quite
erect, in a manner that bespoke the retired military man.

"You have courage, sir," said this gentleman, inclining his bead
gravely to Orde.

The young man laughed in his good-humoured fashion.

"Not much courage required to root out that kind of a skunk," said
he cheerfully.

"I refer to the courage of your convictions. The young men of this
generation seem to prefer to avoid public disturbances. That breed
is quite capable of making a row, calling the police, raising the
deuce, and all that."

"What of it?" said Orde.

The elderly gentleman puffed out his cheeks.

"You are from the West, are you not?" he stated, rather than asked.

"We call it the East out there," said Orde. "It's Michigan."

"I should call that pretty far west," said the old gentleman.