Mr. and Mrs. Billings looked at each other, and chuckled withoutreplying.

"Really, Ned," exclaimed the former, finally, "the answer to yourquestion involves the whole story."

"Then why not tell him the whole story, Enos?" remarked his wife.

"You know I've never told 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 genteel comedy, Ned," said Mr. Billings. "However," hecontinued, "absurd as the tale may seem, it's the only key to thechange in my life, and I must run the risk of being laughed at."

"I'll help you through, Enos," exclaimed his wife, encouragingly; "andbesides, my role in the farce was no better than yours. Let usresuscitate, for to-night only, the constitution of the A. C."

"Upon my word, a capital idea! But we shall have to initiate Ned."

Mr. Haroldson merrily agreeing, he was blindfolded and conducted intoanother room. A very heavy arm-chair, rolling on casters, struck hislegs in the rear, and he sank into it with lamb-like resignation.