eached
his hand under the screening portiere and touched a spring that
noiselessly swung open the heavy mahogany door and switched on half a
dozen clusters of lights. Neither did she notice that Sadie had failed
to follow her as her eyes fairly popped with wonder at the treasures
presented to her gaze.

On one side of the room there was a long row of tables and cabinets,
and almost at every step there was an antique chest. On the tables
there were huddled in artistic disorder scores upon scores of gold and
silver vessels and utensils of every conceivable design and
workmanship. Each cabinet contained a collection of exquisite china or
rare ceramics. On the walls above was the most notable collection of
miniatures in America.

Travers Gladwin waited for the young girl to have finished her first
outburst of admiration. Then he said softly:

"I suppose you know that five generations of Gladwins have been
collecting these few trinkets?"

"He never even mentioned them!" gasped the girl. "Why the paintings
are nothing to these!"

"I wouldn't say that," chuckled Gladwin. "It would take a deal of this
gold and silver junk to buy a Rembrandt or a Corot. There are a couple
of Cellini medallions, though, just below that miniature of Madame de
Pompadour that a good many collectors would sell their souls to
possess."

"Perhaps he was preserving all this as a surprise for me," whispered
the awed Miss Burton. "It is just like him. I am afraid he will be
awfully disappointed now that you have shown them to me."

"Or mayhap he has forgotten all about them," said Gladwin, in a tone
that caused his companion to start and color with quick anger.

"You know that is not true," she said warmly. "You know that Travers
Gladwin is just mad about art. How can you say such a thing, and in
such a sarcastic tone of voice?"

"Well," the young man defended himself, inwardly chuckling, "you
know how his memory lapsed in regard to that heroic affair at
Narragansett."

Helen Burton turned and faced him with flashing eyes.

"That was entirely different. It simply showed that he was not a
braggart; that he was different from other men!"

The words were meant to lash and sting, but the passion with which
they were said served so to vivify the loveliness of the young girl
that Travers Gladwin could only gaze at her in speechless admiration.

When her glance fell before the homage of his regard he took hold of
himself and apologized on the g