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262 "Well," said Floyd cheerfully, "we used to work together pretty well; I guess our team play would still be good."

"Say, that's right," Shelton answered with a chuckle. "The boys 'll be glad to know it's nothing but newspaper talk, what they read this morning. They're a good bit worked up about it."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Yes, but when they know it's all right—Say, Mr. Halket, it would n't be a bad thing if the Colonel or somebody was to come out in the newspapers and nail it, you know."

"I understand," said Floyd. "No doubt there will be some definite statement before long."

He left Shelton and Stewart and continued on through the works. It seemed to him that passing workmen looked at him with anxiety and mute questioning and that those who stood talking together were depressed. He himself felt distinctly pessimistic. He had not liked to give Shelton the evasive, misleading answers, and yet it was not time to confirm the man in his fears.

Half an hour later, when Floyd was leaving, he was joined by Stewart, who had finished his sketch. They returned to Avalon together, and Stewart told him that some time he meant to have a small private exhibition of his pictures; he would soon have enough of them. But it would n't be for some little time. More important things were on the eve of happening at his house. Floyd had been aware of this; he felt it would have been more delicate if he could have shown surprise at the news. The subject imposed constraint on him, though Stewart spoke freely enough and in a happy frame of mind even invited him to express an opinion as to the comparative desirability of boy or girl. He himself declared he had not enough of a preference to be disappointed whatever the result. And he ended with an exhortation to Floyd to get married.