“Confound old Kirk with his fish stories,” said Vuyning to himself, with silent glee as he went through his pockets for a card.  “It’s pronounced ‘Vining,’” he said, as he tossed it over to the other.  “And I’ll be as frank with you.  I’m just a kind of a loafer, I guess, living on my daddy’s money.  At the club they call me ‘Left-at-the-Post.’  I never did a day’s work in my life; and I haven’t the heart to run over a chicken when I’m motoring.  It’s a pretty shabby record, altogether.”

“There’s one thing you can do,” said Emerson, admiringly; “you can carry duds.  I’ve watched you several times pass on Broadway.  You look the best dressed man I’ve seen.  And I’ll bet you a gold mine I’ve got $50 worth more gent’s furnishings on my frame than you have.  That’s what I wanted to see you about.  I can’t do the trick.  Take a look at me.  What’s wrong?”

“Stand up,” said Vuyning.

Emerson arose, and slowly revolved.

“You’ve been ‘outfitted,’” declared the clubman.  “Some Broadway window-dresser has misused you.  That’s an expensive suit, though, Emerson.”

“A hundred dollars,” said Emerson.

“Twenty too much,” said Vuyning.  “Six months old in cut, one inch too long, and half an inch too much lapel.  Your hat is plainly dated one year ago, although there’s only a sixteenth of an inch lacking in the brim to tell the story.  That English poke in your collar is too short by the distance between Troy and London.  A plain gold link cuff-button would take all the shine out of those pearl ones with diamond settings.  Those tan shoes would be exactly the articles to work into the heart of a Brooklyn school-ma’am on a two weeks’ visit to Lake Ronkonkoma.  I think I caught a glimpse of a blue silk sock embroidered with russet lilies of the valley when you—­improperly—­ drew up your trousers as you sat down.  There are always plain ones to be had in the stores.  Have I hurt your feelings, Emerson?”

“Double the ante!” cried the criticised one, greedily.  “Give me more of it.  There’s a way to tote the haberdashery, and I want to get wise to it.  Say, you’re the right kind of a swell.  Anything else to the queer about me?”

“Your tie,” said Vuyning, “is tied with absolute precision and correctness.”

“Thanks,” gratefully—­“I spent over half an hour at it before I—­”

“Thereby,” interrupted Vuyning, “completing your resemblance to a dummy in a Broadway store window.”

“Yours truly,” said Emerson, sitting down again.  “It’s bully of you to put me wise.  I knew there was something wrong, but I couldn’t just put my finger on it.  I guess it comes by nature to know how to wear clothes.”

“Oh, I suppose,” said Vuyning, with a laugh, “that my ancestors picked up the knack while they were peddling clothes from house to house a couple of hundred years ago.  I’m told they did that.”

“And mine,” said Emerson, cheerfully, “were making their visits at night, I guess, and didn’t have a chance to catch on to the correct styles.”