“Only a code summons for a meeting of the Rosicrucians. I suppose you know that the order has been revived here in America.”
“Not the true Rosicrucians, surely!” said Bertram.
“They pretend to be. A stupid lot who make child’s play of it,” said Average Jones impatiently. “Never mind them. I’d rather know what’s on your mind. You made an observation when you came in, rather more interesting than your usual output of table-talk. You said ‘but’ and nothing further. The conjunction ‘but,’ in polite grammar, ordinarily has a comet-like tail to it.”
“Apropos of polite grammar, do you speak Latin?” asked Bertram carelessly.
“Not enough to be gossipy in it.”
“Then you wouldn’t care to give a job to a man who can’t speak anything else?”
“On that qualification alone?”
“No-o, not entirely. He is a good military engineer, I believe.”
“So that’s the other end of the ‘but,’ is it?” said Average Jones. “Go on. Elaborate.”
Bertram laid before his friend a printed clipping in clear, large type, saying: “When I read this, I couldn’t resist the notion that somehow or other it was in your line; pursuit of the adventure of life, and all that. Let’s see what you make of it.”