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Rh iness routine which is the key to success—today he had begun by consciously varying even the habitual order in which he put on his garments when dressing, as though this defiance of the convention he had established over himself might bring him nearer to her in her defiance of all conventions and, perhaps, make it more easy for him to understand her. So now, as McAdams entered, Hereford appeared even more than ordinarily preoccupied by business and more than usually engrossed in the examination of his morning's mail.

"You have some report to make to me," he shot out at last. "About the fire at the Tonty, I suppose. Of course, I've already read the account in the paper. If that is correct, omit anything it covers."

"About the fire—yes," said McAdams,