"I think it is very good to belong to _your_ kind, where-ever they
are, Miss Sylvie. Tell your mother I say she may be glad of her
daughter. I'll find out about the house for you, at any rate. And
I'll see Mr. Cardwell; and I'll call again. Good-night, my dear. God
bless you!"

And the grand Mr. Howland Sherrett pressed Sylvie Argenter's hand in
both of his, as a father might have pressed it, and went out with
the feeling of a warm rush from his heart toward his eyes.

"That's a girl like a--whatever there is that means the noblest
sort of woman, and I'm not sure it _is_ a queen!" he said to Rodney,
as he seated himself in the chaise, and took the reins from his
son's hands.

Mr. Sherrett was apt to say to Rodney, "You may drive me to this or
that place," but he was very apt, also, to do the driving himself,
after all; especially if he was somewhat preoccupied, and forgot, as
he did now.

The way Mr. Howland Sherrett inquired about the red-roofed house,
was this:

He went down to Mr. John Horner's store, in Opal Street, and asked
him what was the rent of it.

"Six hundred and fifty dollars."

"Rather high, isn't it, for the situation?"

"Not for the situation of the _land_, I guess," said Mr. Horner. "I'm
paying annexation taxes."

"What will you sell the property for as it stands?"

"Eighty-five hundred dollars."

"I'll give you eight thousand, Mr. Horner, in cash, upon condition
that you will not mention its having changed hands. I have some
friends whom I wish should live there," he added, lest some deep
speculating move should be surmised.

Mr. Horner thought for the space of thirty seconds, after the rapid,
Opal Street fashion, and said,--

"You may have it. When will you take the deed?"

"To-morrow morning, at eleven o'clock. Will that be convenient?"

"All right. Yes, sir."

And the next morning at eleven o'clock, the two gentlemen exchanged
papers; Mr. Horner received a check on the First National Bank for
eight thousand dollars, and Mr. Sherrett the title-deed to house and
land on North Centre Street, Dorbury, known as part of the John
Horner estate, and bordering so and so, and so on.

The same afternoon, Mr. Sherrett called at Mrs. Argenter's, and
told her of the quiet, pleasant, retired, yet central house and
garden in Upper Dorbury, which he found she could have on a lease of
two or three years, for a rent of three hundred and fifty dollars.
It was in the hands of a lawyer in the v