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140 father with a knife. It gets monotonous. So I'm much obliged to you for passing the explanations up. We won't bother you long, me and Lou. I got a little business here, and then we'll mosey along. We'll clear out about nine o'clock."

"No," protested Magee. "So soon? We must make it pleasant for you while you stay. I al- ways hate hosts who talk about their servants— I have a friend who bores me to death because he has a Jap butler he believes was at Mukden. But I think I am justified in calling your attention to ours—Mr. Peters, the Hermit of Baldpate Moun tain. Cooking is merely his avocation. He is writing a book." "That guy," remarked Cargan, incredulous.

"What do you know about that?" asked Mr. Bland. "It certainly will get a lot of hot adver tising if it ever appears. It s meant to prove that all the trouble in the world has been caused by [woman."

The mayor considered.

"He s off—he's nutty, that fellow," he an nounced. "It ain't women that cause all of the trouble."