“Miss Blessington—­Molly Lessing that was.”

“Honest!” said George sincerely.  “I don’t know whether to think you’ve gone bughouse or not.  You’ve always been a bit queer and foolish in the bean, but never since I’ve known you—­”

“And after dinner,” P. Sybarite pursued evenly, “you’re going to attend a very quiet little wedding party.”

“Whose, for God’s sake?”

“Marian’s and mine; and the only reason why you can’t be best man is that the best man will be my cousin, Peter Kenny.”

“Is that straight?”

“On the level.”

George concluded that there was sanity in P. Sybarite’s eyes.

“Well, I certainly got to slip you the congrats!” he protested.  “And say—­you goin’ to bounce Whigham and Wimper, too?”

“Yes.”

“And whatcha goin’ do then?”

“I?  To tell you the truth, I’m considering joining the Union and agitating for an eight-hour Day of Days.  This one of mine has been eighteen hours long, more or less—­since I got those theatre tickets, you know—­and I’m too dog-tired to keep my eyes open another minute.  After I’ve had a nap, I’ll tell you all about everything.” ...

But he wasn’t too tired to read his telegram, when he found himself again, and for the last time, in his hall bedroom.

It said simply:  “I love you.—­Marian.”

From this P. Sybarite looked up to his reflection in the glass.  And presently he smiled sheepishly, and blinked.

“Perceval...!” murmured the little man fondly.

THE END

By the author of “The Brass Bowl"

THE BANDBOX

By LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE

Author of “The Day of Days,” “The Destroying Angel,” etc.

Illustrated by A.I.  Keller.  Cloth. $1.25 net.

Divertingly told, in Mr. Vance’s familiarly vigorous style, it never fails to entertain.—­Boston Transcript.

Mr. Vance uses the wand of a conjurer—­his humor comes bubbling to the surface all the time.—­New York Tribune.

The yarn is excellently calculated to pass the time of a jaded novel reader....  The story is quite surprising enough, and amusing at that.—­New York Evening Sun.

It is a rousing tale of adventure and love told with verve and humor.  Many will pronounce it the best story yet written by the author of “The Brass Bowl.”—­Chicago Record-Herald.

The tale bristles with breathless adventure, mistaken identities, detective investigations, romantic developments, and startling situations....  It is a rousing story, told with a stimulating style, and culminating in love rewarded; but, before that happy end is reached, there are many thrilling revelations.—­Literary Digest, New York.

LITTLE, BROWN, & CO., PUBLISHERS
34 BEACON STREET, BOSTON