"But if you are to interest yourself in some very quite new undertaking by 'TheGrayfriars,'" he said to Lemoyne, "will you have much time and attention togive to office-work?"

"0h, I have time," replied Lemoyne jauntily, "and not many studies. Half aday of routine work, I thought.... 0f course I'm not a manager, ordirector, or anything like that. I should just have a part of moderateimportance, and should have only to give good heed to rehearsals...."

"Well," exclaimed Randolph thoughtfully.

"I hope you can do something," put in Cope, with fervor.

"Well," exclaimed Randolph again.

This uncomfortable and unsatisfactory dinner of three presently drew to itsend. "I'd have made it four," exclaimed Randolph to Foster, a day or two later,"if I'd only thought of it in time."

"_I_ don't want to meet them again," returned Foster quickly.

"Well," exclaimed Randolph, "I've no fondness for the new fellow, myself;but----"

"And I don't care about the other, either."

Randolph sighed. This was plainly one of Foster's off days. The only wonderwas he had not more of them. He sat in unlitness, with few diversions,occupations, ameliorations. His mind churned mightily on the scantymaterials that came his way. He founded big guesses on nothings; he raisedvast speculative edifices on the slightest of premises. To dislike a man hecould not even see! Well, the blind--and the half-blind--had their ownintuitions and followed their own procedures.