uldn't sell out except at a loss."

"Your arguments are good, very good," admitted Anthony; "so good that I'd
like to put you on your mettle to draw me a set of plans for just the sort
of thing you think I ought to have--or Mrs. Robeson ought to have, for
she's the one to be considered. Anything will do for me. I'll let you do
this--on one condition."

"Name it."

"That you also do your level best to demonstrate to me what a clever man
and an artist of your proportions could make out of this house, provided
he really wanted to show the extent of his ability. Now, that's fair. If
you really care to convince me you won't fool with this proposition,
you'll make a study of the one problem as thoroughly as you do of the
other, and let me decide the case on its merits. If I thought you weren't
giving the old house a fair chance I should take up its cause out of pure
affection."

He smiled at Cathcart's discontented face with so brilliant a good humour
that the architect cleared up.

"By Jove, Robeson," he said, "I think I see what endears you to the
Hendersons. I wouldn't have said you could have induced me to try my hand
at the old house, but I'll be hanged if I don't follow your instructions
to the letter--and win out, too."

"Good," said Anthony. "And don't mention it to my wife. We'll keep it for
a surprise; and I promise you when the time comes I won't prejudice her in
any way."

Cathcart drew out a notebook and pencil and entered some memoranda on the
spot, while Anthony, coming up on the piazza of the dining-room, laid upon
the old Dutch house-door a hand which seemed to caress it. He was
wondering if by any possible magic Cathcart could create, in the rarest
abode in the world, a new door which he should ever care to enter as he
now cared to enter this.

* * * * *

"I think," said Juliet decidedly, "you're wrong about it."

"And I know," returned Anthony with emphasis, "that you are."

The two faced each other. They were walking through a short stretch of
woodland, which lay as yet untouched by the hand of suburban property
owners. It was a favourite ground for the diversions of the Robesons, when
they had not time to spend in getting farther away. They had been
strolling through it now, in the early June evening, discussing a matter
relative to the investment of a certain moderate sum of money which had
come into Anthony's hands. It developed that their ideas a