fireplace, he was gone in an instant.

Ventimore sank back in his chair with a sigh of relief. He had begun to
fear that the Jinnee never would take himself off, but he had gone at
last--and for good.

He was half ashamed of himself for feeling so glad, for Fakrash was a
good-natured old thing enough in his way. Only he _would_ overdo things:
he had no sense of proportion. "Why," thought Horace, "if a fellow
expressed a modest wish for a canary in a cage he's just the sort of old
Jinnee to bring him a whole covey of rocs in an aviary about ten times
the size of the Crystal Palace. However, he _does_ understand now that I
can't take anything more from him, and he isn't offended either, so
_that's_ all settled. Now I can set to work and knock off these plans in
peace and quietness."

But he had not done much before he heard sounds in the next room which
told him that Beevor had returned at last. He had been expected back
from the country for the last day or two, and it was fortunate that he
had delayed so long, thought Ventimore, as he went in to see him and to
tell him the unexpected piece of good fortune that he himself had met
with since they last met. It is needless to say that, in giving his
account, he abstained from any mention of the brass bottle or the
Jinnee, as unessential elements in his story.

Beevor's congratulations were quite as cordial as could be expected, as
soon as he fully understood that no hoax was intended. "Well, old man,"
he said, "I _am_ glad. I really am, you know. To think of a prize like
that coming to you the very first time! And you don't even know how this
Mr. Wackerbath came to hear of you--just happened to see your name up
outside and came in, I expect. Why, I dare say, if I hadn't chanced to
go away as I did--and about a couple of paltry two thousand pound
houses, too! Ah, well, I don't grudge you your luck, though it _does_
seem rather---- It was worth waiting for; you'll be cutting _me_ out
before long--if you don't make a mess of this job. I mean, you know, old
chap, if you don't go and give your City man a Gothic castle when what
he wants is something with plenty of plate-glass windows and a
Corinthian portico. That's the rock I see ahead of _you_. You mustn't
mind my giving you a word of warning!"

"Oh no," said Ventimore; "but I shan't give him either a Gothic castle
or plenty of plate-glass. I venture to think he'll be pleased with the
general idea as I'm working it out."