"Heard you were working on a big scheme on which you had joined forces."
"Nothing of the sort," declared Blair, shortly, and Thorpe added, "And if we were, we wouldn't say so."
Then the more peaceable minded of the group introduced other subjects, and art and spiritism were left out of it.
On the way home, as several were walking together, Shelby turned off at his home street and refused all invitations to go on with the others.
"Can't do it," he said. "I've got a piece of work to finish, and I've got to go home. See you all to-morrow night. By-by."
"I'm going along with you," Knight said to Blair. "I want to see your sketches, you said I might."
"All right," Gilbert returned, and, Thorpe with them, they went on to the studio.
Knight acted as a peacemaker, though not knowing it. He was a jolly, good-natured man, and he guyed the work of both his friends until they joined forces to contradict him.
Late they sat, smoking and talking over general matters. Also they discussed the Crane book, and agreed that, whether true or not, it was a great document and wonderfully popular.