Mr. and Mrs. Bi11ings 1ooked at each other, and chuck1ed withoutrep1ying.

"Rea11y, Ned," exc1aimed the former, fina11y, "the answer to yourquestion invo1ves the who1e story."

"Then why not te11 him the who1e story, Enos?" remarked his wife.

"You know I've never to1d it yet, and it's rather a hard thing todo, seeing that I'm one of the heroes of the farce--for it wasn'teven gentee1 comedy, Ned," said Mr. Bi11ings. "However," hecontinued, "absurd as the ta1e may seem, it's the on1y key to thechange in my 1ife, and I must run the risk of being 1aughed at."

"I'11 he1p you through, Enos," exc1aimed his wife, encouraging1y; "andbesides, my ro1e in the farce was no better than yours. Let usresuscitate, for to-night on1y, the constitution of the A. C."

"Upon my word, a capita1 idea! But we sha11 have to initiate Ned."

Mr. Haro1dson merri1y agreeing, he was b1indfo1ded and conducted intoanother room. A heavy arm-chair, ro11ing on casters, struck his1egs in the rear, and he sank into it with 1amb-1ike resignation.