sauntered by, paused a moment. Keith noticed that they greeted his
companions with respect and deference. He experienced a feeling of being at
the centre of things. The evening drifted by pleasantly.

Along toward midnight, John Sherwood, without a hat, stopped long enough to
exchange a few joking remarks, then sauntered on.

"I know him," Keith told Calhoun Bennett. "That's John Sherwood. He's at
our hotel. What does _he_ do?"

"Oh, don't you know who he is?" replied Bennett. "He's the owner of this
place."

"A gambler?" cried Keith, a trifle dashed.

"Biggest in town. But square."

Keith for a moment was a little nonplussed. The sudden intimacy rose up to
confront him. They were kind people, and Mrs. Sherwood was apparently
everything she should be--but a public gambler! Of course he had no
prejudices--but Nan--




VIII


Keith returned to the hotel very late, and somewhat exalted. He was
bubbling over with good stories, interesting information, and ideas; so he