“Pshaw! Price has got nothing to do with it,” cried Opdyke. “Let me give you a cigar that I’ve struck. It’s in my overcoat pocket. I’ll fetch it in just one minute. You wait.”

Now I had made up my mind to follow the first man who left the room, and consequently I started to follow Mr. Opdyke.

Of course I had to wait a moment for decency’s sake, then I hurried out to the coat-room. I went straight, too.

Mr. Opdyke was not there.

“Where’s that gentleman who was here a second ago, Sam?” I asked of the darky who had charge of the coats.

“Warn’t no gemplum here, sah!” replied the fellow grinning, for I had tipped him a dollar.

“Sure?”

“Suah as death, sah.”

I retreated. But I had not gone two steps before I met Mr. Opdyke coming along the hall.

“Got through smoking?” he asked, nodding pleasantly.