r；　where　they　immediately　attacked　a　huge　wash…tub　filled　with　steamed　clams；　and　covered　with　a　white　cloth　to　keep　them　hot。　This　was　the　bar's　free　lunch。　The　clams　devouredsix　eachand　the　necessary　beers　paid　for；　the　whole　party　started　to　retrace　their　steps；　when　Simmons　stopped　to　welcome　　a　new…corner　who　had　entered　the　cellar　unperceived　　by　the　barkeeper；　and　who　was　bending　over　the　wash…tub　of　clams；　engaged　in　picking　out　the　smallest　of　the　bivalves　with　the　end　of　all　iron　fork。　He　had　such　a　benevolent；　kindly　face；　and　was　so　courtly　in　his　bearing；　and　spoke　with　so　soft　and　gentle　a　voice；　that　Oliver；　who　stood　next　to　Simmons；　lingered　to　listen。
  〃Oh；　my　dear　Simmons；〃　cried　the　old　gentleman；　〃we　missed　you　to…night。　When　are　you　coming　back　to　us？　The　orchestra　is　really　getting　to　be　　deplorable。　Miss　Gannon　quite　broke　down　in　her　song。　We　must　protest；　my　boy；　we　must　protest。　I　saw　you　in　front；　but　you　should　be　wielding　the　baton。　And　is　this　young　gentleman　one　of　your　friends？〃
  〃YesMr。　Horn。　Ollie；　let　me　introduce　you　to　Mr。　Gilbert；　the　actor〃and　he　laid　his　hand　on　Oliver's　shoulder〃dear　John　Gilbert；　as　we　always　call　him。〃
  Oliver　looked　up　into　the　kindly；　sweet　face　of　the　man；　and　a　curious　sensation　passed　over　him。　Could　this　courtly；　perfectly　well…bred　old　gentleman；　with　his　silver…white　hair；　beaming　smile　and　gentle　voice；　the　equal　of　any　of　his　father's　guests；　be　an　actor？　Could　he　possibly　belong　to　the　profession　which；　of　all　others；　Oliver　had　been　taught　to　despise？　The　astonishment　of　our　young　hero　was　so　great　that　for　a　moment　he　could　not　speak。
  Simmons　thought　he　read　Oliver's　mind；　and　came　to　his　rescue。
  〃My　friend；　Mr。　Horn；　did　not　like　the　play　to…　night；　Mr。　Gilbert；〃　he　said。　〃He　thinks　the　death…scene　was　horrible〃and　Simmons　glanced　smiling　at　the　others　who　stood　at　a　little　distance　watching　the　interview　with　great　interest。
  〃Dear　me；　dear　me；　you　don't　say　so。　What　was　it　you　objected　to；　may　I　ask？〃　There　was　a　trace　of　anxiety　in　his　voice。
  〃Why；　the　murder…scene；　sir。　It　seemed　to　me　too　dreadful　to　kill　a　woman　in　that　way。　I　haven't　forgotten　it　yet；〃　and　a　distressed　look　passed　over　Oliver's　face。　〃But　then　I　have　seen　but　very　few　plays；〃　he　added〃none　like　that。〃
  The　old　actor　looked　at　him　with　a　relieved　expression。
  〃Ah；　yes；　I　see。　Yes；　you're　indeed　right。　As　you　say；　it　is　quite　a　dreadful　scene。〃
  〃Oh；　then　you've　seen　it　yourself；　sir；〃　said　Oliver；　in　a　relieved　tone。
  The　old　actor's　eyes　twinkled。　He；　too；　had　read　the　young　man's　mindnot　a　difficult　task　when　one　looked　down　into　Oliver's　eyes。
  〃Oh；　many；　many　times；〃　he　answered　with　a　smile。　〃I　have　known　it　for　years。　In　the　old　days；　when　they　would　smash　the　poor　lady's　head；　they　used　to　have　a　pan　of　gravel　which　they　would　crunch　with　a　stick　to　imitate　the　breaking　of　the。　bones。　It　was　quite　realistic　from　the　front；　but　that　was　given　up　long　ago。　How　did　YOU　like　the　business　　to…night；　Mr。　Simmons？〃　and　he　turned　to　the　musician。
  〃Oh；　admirable；　sir。　We　all　thought　it　had　never　been　better　played　or　better　put　on；〃　and　he　glanced　again　toward　his　companions；　who　stood　apart；　listening　　breathlessly　to　every　word　that　fell　from　the　actor's　lips。
  〃Ah；　I　am　glad　of　it。　Brougham　will　be　so　pleased　and　yet　it　shocked　you；　Mr。　Hornand　you　really　think　the　poor　lady　minded　it？　Dear　me！　How　pleased　she　will　be　when　I　tell　her　the　impression　it　all　made　upon　you。　She's　worked　so　hard　over　the　part　and　has　been　so　nervous　about　it。　I　left　her　only　a　moment　agoshe　and　her　husband　wanted　me　to　take　supper　with　them　at　Riley'sthe　new　restaurant　　on　University　Place；　you　know；　famous　for　its　devilled　crabs。　But　I　always　like　to　come　here　for　my　clams。　Allow　me　a　moment〃　and　he　bent　over　the　steaming　tub；　and　skewering　the　contents　of　a　pair　of　shells　with　his　iron　fork　held　it　out　toward　Oliver。
  〃Let　me　beg　of　you；　Mr。　Horn；　to　taste　this　clam。　I　am　quite　sure　it　is　a　particularly　savory　one。　After　this　my　dear　young　friend；　I　hope　you'll　have　a　better　　opinion　of　me。〃　And　his　eye　twinkled。　〃I　am　really　better　than　I　lookindeed　I　amand　so；　my　dear　boy；　is　this　clam。　Come；　come；　it　is　getting　cold。〃
  〃What　do　you　mean　by　'a　better　opinion'　of　you；　Mr。　Gilbert？〃　stammered　Oliver。　He　had　been　completely　　captivated　by　the　charm　of　the　actor's　manner。　〃Why　shouldn't　I　think　well　of　you？I　don't　understand。〃
  〃Whybecause　I　strangled　the　poor　lady　to…　night。　You　know；　of　coursethat　it　was　I　who　played　the　villain。〃
  〃You！〃　exclaimed　Oliver。　〃No；　I　did　not；　sir。　Why；　Mr。　Gilbert；　I　can't　realizeoh；　I　hope　you'll　forgive　me　for　what　I've　said。　I've　only　been　in　New　York　a　short　time；　and〃
  The　old　gentleman　cut　short　Oliver's　explanation　with　a　wave　of　his　fork；　and　looking　down　into　the　boy's　face；　said　in　a　serious　tone：
  〃My　son；　you're　quite　right。　Quite　rightand　I　like　you　all　the　better　for　it。　All　such　plays　are　dreadful　I　feel　just　as　you　do　about　them；　but　what　can　we　actors　do？　The　public　will　have　it　that　way。〃
  Another　little　prejudice　toppled　from　its　pedestal；　another　household　tradition　of　Oliver's　smashed　into　a　thousand　pieces　at　his　feet！　This　rubbing　and　grinding　process　of　man　against　man；　this　seeing　with　one's　own　eyes　and　not　another's　was　fast　rounding　out　and　perfecting　the　impressionable　clay　of　our　young　gentleman's　mind。　It　was　a　lesson；　too；　the　scribe　is　delighted　to　say；　which　our　hero　never　forgot；　　nor　did　he　ever　forget　the　man　who　taught　it。　One　of　his　greatest　delights　in　after…years　was　to　raise　his　hat　to　this　incomparable　embodiment　of　the　dignity　　and　courtliness　of　the　old　school。　The　old　gentleman　　had　long　since　forgotten　the　young　fellow；　but　that　made　no　difference　to　Oliverhe　would　cross　the　street　any　time　to　lift　his　hat　to　dear　John　Gilbert。
  The　introduction　of　the　other　members　of　the　club　to　the　villain　being　overthey　had　stood　the　whole　time；　they　were　listening　to　the　actor；　each　head　　uncoveredMcFudd　again　marshalled　his　troop　and　proceeded　up　Broadway；　where；　at　Oliver's　request；　they　were　halted　at　the　pedestal　of　the　big　Bronze　Horse　and　within　sight　of　their　own　quarters。
  Here　McFudd　insisted　that　the　club　should　sing　〃God　Save　the　Queen〃　to　the　Father　of　his　Country；　where　he　sat　astride　of　his　horse；　which　was　accordingly　　done；　much　to　the　delight　of　a　couple　of　night…　watchmen；　who　watched　the　entire　performance　and　who；　upon　McFudd's　subsequent　inspection；　proved　to　be　fellow…countrymen　of　the　distinguished　Hibernian。
  Had　the　buoyant　and　irrepressible　Irishman　been　content　with　this　patriotic　outburst　as　the　final　winding…　up　of　the　night's　outing；　and　had　he　then　and　there　betaken　himself　and　his　fellows　off　to　bed；　the　calamity　which　followed；　and　which　so　nearly　wrecked　the　Skylarks；　might　have　been　avoided。
  It　is　difficult　at　any　time　to　account　for　the　workings　　of　Fate　or　to　follow　the　course　of　its　agents。　The　track　of　an　earth…worm　destroys　a　dam；　the　parting　of　a　wire　wrecks　a　bridge；　the　breaking　of　a　root　starts　an　avalanche；　the　flaw　in　an　axle　dooms　a　train；　the　sting　of　a　microbe　depopulates　a　city。　But　none　of　these　unseen；　mysterious　agencies　was　at　worknothing　so　trivial　wrecked　the　Skylarks。
  It　was　a　German　street…band！
  A　band　whose　several　members　had　watched　McFudd　and　his　party　from　across　the　street；　and　who　had　begun　limbering　their　instruments　before　the　sextet　had　ceased　singing；　regarding　the　situation；　　no　doubt；　as　pregnant　with　tips。
  McFudd　did　not　give　the　cornet　time　to　draw　his　instrument　from　its　woollen　bag　before　he　had　him　by　the　arm。
  〃Don't　put　a　mouthful　of　wind　into　that　horn　of　yours　until　I　spake　to　ye；〃　he　cried　in　vociferous　tones。
  The　leader　stopped　and　looked　at　him　in　a　dazed　way。
  〃I　have　an　idea；　gentlemen；〃　added　McFudd；　turning　to　his　companion's；　and　tapping　his　forehead。　〃I　am　of　the　opinion　that　this　music　would　be　wasted　on　the　night　air；　and　so　with　your　parmission　I　propose　　to　transfer　this　orchestra　to　the　top　flure；　where　we　can　listen　to　their　chunes　at　our　leisure。　Right　about；　face！　Forward！　March！〃　and　McFudd　advanced　upon　the　band；　wheeled　the　drum　around；　and；　locking　arms　with　the　cornet；　started　across　the　street　for　the　stone　steps。
  〃Not　a　word　out　of　any　o'　ye　till　I　get　'em　in；〃　McFudd　continued　in　a　low　voice；　fumbling　in　his　pocket　for　his　night…key。
  The　musicians　obeyed　mechanically　and　tiptoed　one　by　one　inside　the　dimly　lighted　hall；　followed　by　Oliver　and　the　others。
  〃Now　take　off　your　shoes；　you've　four　flights　of　stairs　to　crawl　up；　and　if　ye　make　a　noise　until　I'm　ready　for　ye；　off　goes　a　dollar　of　your　pay。〃
  The　bass…drum　carefully　backed　his　instrument　against　the　wall；　sat　down　on　the　floor；　and　began　pulling　off　his　boots；　the　cornet　and　bassoon　followed；　the　clarionet　wore　only　his　gum　shoes；　and　so　was　　permitted　to　keep　them　on。
  〃Now；　Walley；　me　boy；　do　you　go　ahead　and　turn　up　the　gas　and　open　the　piano；　and　Cockburn；　old　man；　will　ye　kindly　get　the　blower　and　tongs　out　of　Freddie's　room　and　the　scuttle　out　of　Tomlins's　closet　and　the　Chinese　gong　that　hangs　over　me　bed？　And　all　you　fellers　go　ahead　treading　on　whispers；　d'ye　moind？〃　said　McFudd　under　his　breath