OF THE SPEAR 

 business ? May it not be with you 

 one of those fascinations which 

 you'll allow do come to you now and 

 then?" 



" No ; in those affairs I never 

 speak of my people and prospects/' 

 retorted the Devil with proper pride. 



" Quite right. I even found a 

 difficulty in speaking of my pros- 

 pects, so gave her more of my past, 

 from which she could herself evolve 

 my character." 



" Your past ! Oh, by George ! 

 then I give in. A man with a past 

 is a hopeless chap to contend against. 

 A girl will jump at him like a trout 

 at a fly ; she don't care what his 

 future is likely to be provided he has 

 got a past. Well, it seems to me that 

 we are as we were." 

 101 



