proper place. If you have any little dreams of making all human
beings after one pattern--"

"I haven't. It would be as uninteresting as impossible. But it is
queer--"

"What is queer?" Selwyn stooped forward and broke a lump of coal
from which sprang blazing reds and curling blues of flame. "Why did
you stop?"

"I was thinking it was queer you should know so much of the history
of the human race and so little of its life to-day. As a shrugger
you stand off."

"For the love of Heaven don't let's get on that!"

With swift movement he took a cigar from one pocket, a match-case
from another. "May I smoke?" he asked, irritably, and as I nodded he
struck a match and held it to the cigar in his mouth, then threw it
in the fire. Presently he looked at me.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming here--for a while?"

"It would have meant more argument. You would not have approved."

"I most assuredly would not. But that would have made no difference.
My disapproval would not have prevented."

"No. I should have come, of course. But I was tired, and useless
discussion does no good. We would have said again the same old