Dick smiled sardonically.  “He is not your only obstacle,” he said.

“I know it,” replied Locker.  “There’s that Chinese laundried fellow, smooth-finished, who came up this morning.  He must be an old offender, for I saw her giving it to him hot this morning.  I am sure she was telling him exactly what she thought of him, for he turned as red as a pickled beet.  So he will have to scratch pretty hard if he expects to get into her good graces again, and I suppose that is what he came here for.  But I am not so much afraid of him as I am of that Austrian.  If he keeps on the literary lay, and reads books with her, looking up the words in the dictionary, it is dangerous.”

“I do not see,” said Lancaster, somewhat loftily, “why you speak of these things to me.”

“Then I’ll tell you,” said Locker quickly.  “I speak of them to you because you are just as much concerned in them as I am.  You are in love with Miss Asher—­anybody can see that—­and, in fact, I should think you were a pretty poor sort of a fellow if you were not, after having seen and talked with her.  Consequently that Austrian is just as dangerous to you as he is to me.  And as I have chosen you for my brother-in-arms, it is right that I tell you everything I know.”

“Brother-in-arms?” ejaculated Dick.

“That is what it is,” said Locker, “and I will tell you how it came about.  The Austrian looked upon you with scorn and contempt because you rode a horse wearing rolled-up trousers and low shoes.  As you did not see him and could not return the contempt, I did it for you.  Having done this, a fellow feeling for you immediately sprang up within me.  That is what always happens, you know.  After that the feeling became a good deal stronger, and I said to myself that if I found I could not get Miss Asher; and it’s seventy-six I don’t, for that’s generally the state of my luck; I would help you to get her, partly because I like you, and partly because that Austrian must be ousted, no matter what happens or how it is done.  So I became your brother-in-arms, and if I find I am out of the race, I am going to back you up just as hard as I can, and here’s my hand upon it.”

Dick stopped as he had stopped half an hour before, and gazed upon his companion.

“Now don’t thank me,” continued Locker, “or say anything nice, because if I find I can come in ahead of you I am going to do it.  But if we work together, I am sure we need not be afraid of that Austrian, or of that fiery-faced model for a ready-made-clothes shop.  It is to be either you or me—­first place for me, if possible.”

Dick could not help laughing.  “You are a jolly sort of a fellow,” said he, “and I will be your brother-in-arms.  But it is to be first place for me, if possible.”  And they shook hands upon the bargain.

That evening Mr. Hemphill found Olive alone.  “I have been trying to get a chance to speak to you, Miss Asher,” said he.  “I want to ask you to help me, for I do not know what in the world to do.”