Peter looked at his watch in that furtive way which polite persons employ when time presses and a companion is garrulous.  He had finished his rice pudding and his milk, and in five minutes he would be expected to hang up his hat behind the mirrored partition of the New Era Drug Store and walk out smilingly to serve the New Era customers, patrons, the New Era called them.  In five minutes he must be on duty, yet Peter felt that his very life depended upon bringing this wordy young man to a point in his monologue.

“If you will come to the New Era Drug Store, at six o’clock,” said Peter, “I shall be glad to talk with you further about this homestead of yours.  I—­ah—­have a friend who has an idea of—­ah—­locating somewhere in Arizona or New Mexico or Colorado—­” Peter could name them now without that sick feeling of despair “—­and he might be interested.  But,” he added hastily, “he could not afford to pay very much for a place.  Still, if your price is low enough—­”

“Oh, I reckon we can git together on the price,” the young man said cheerfully, as Peter rose and picked up his check.  “I’ll be there at six, sure as shootin’ cats in a bag.  I know where the New Era’s at.  I went in there last night and got something to stop my tooth achin’.  Ached like the very devil for a while, but that stuff sure fixed her.”

Peter smiled and bowed and went his way hurriedly, his pale lips working nervously with the excitement that filled him.  The mountain of difficulty was there, implacably blocking the way.  But beyond was the door of opportunity, and the door was ajar.  There must, thought Peter, be some way to pass the mountain and reach the door.

Helen May telephoned that she meant to pick out that gray suit for him that evening.  Since it was Saturday, the stores would be open, and there was a sale on at Hecheimer’s.  She had seen some stunning grays in the window, one-third off.  And would he....

Peter’s voice was almost irritable when he told her that he had a business engagement and could not meet her.  And he added the information that he would probably eat down town, as he did not know how long he would be detained.  Helen May was positively forbidden to do anything at all about the suit until he had a chance to talk with her.  After which unprecedented firmness Peter left the ’phone hurriedly, lest Helen May should laugh at his authority and lay down a law of her own, which she was perfectly capable of doing.

At five minutes to six the young man presented himself at the New Era, and waited for Peter at the soda fountain, with a lemon soda and a pretty girl to smile at his naive remarks.  Peter’s heart had given a jump and a flutter when the young man walked in, fearing some one else might snap at the chance to buy a relinquishment of a homestead in New Mexico.  And yet, how did Peter expect to buy anything of the sort?  If Peter knew, he kept the knowledge in the back of his mind, telling himself that there would be some way out.