“I don’t know,” said Carleton, but a dull, red flush spread over his white face and his voice trembled.

“You don’t know!” said Tom, in cutting tones. “Man, you must know.”

But no reply was made, and, dropping into a chair, Tom buried his face in both hands and remained thus for a long time.

Tom Willard was a large, stout man, and possessed of the genial and merry demeanor which so often accompanies avoirdupois. Save for his occasional, though really rare, bursts of temper, Tom was always in joking and laughing mood.