there!"

"I see it. Some kind of a hall or somethin', ain't it?"

"Yes. And I'm quite sure, from what Mrs. Black said, that it is the hall
where the Scarford Guild meets. Yes, it's just as she said it was. I'm
SURE that's it. Oh, I'm glad I've seen it! Yes, and Mrs. Black said
they lived not very far from the hall. Daniel! Daniel! ask the man if he
knows where the Blacks live and if he can show us their house."

Captain Dan obediently made the inquiry.

"Who?" grunted the driver. "Which Black? Black and Cobb, the Wee Waist
Corset feller? Sure! I know where he lives. I'll show you."

A few moments later the cab slackened its speed.

"There you are!" said the driver, pointing. "That's Black's house. Built
two years ago, 'twas."

Serena and Daniel looked. The house was new and commodious, a trifle
ornate in decoration, perhaps, and a bit mixed in architecture, owing to
Mrs. Black's insisting upon the embodiment of various features which
she had seen in magazines; but on the whole a rather fine house. To the
Dotts, of course, it was a mansion.

"My!" said Serena, "to think of our knowing, really knowing, people
who live in a house like that! Oh, dear!" with a sigh, "I almost wish
I hadn't seen it until after we'd seen our own. We must try not to be
disappointed, mustn't we?"

Captain Dan was surprised. "Disappointed?" he said. "Why, what do you
mean? As I recollect Aunt Laviny's place, 'twas just as good as that, if
not better. You said so yourself. You used to call it a regular palace."

"I know, but don't you think that was because we hadn't seen many fine
houses then? I'm afraid that was it. You know Mrs. Black said it was
old-fashioned."

"Humph! Barney--What's his name? Phelps, I mean--he said he wished his
was as good. Don't you remember he did?"

"Probably he didn't mean it. I'm not going to expect too much, anyway.
I'm going to try and think of it as just a nice old place, and then I
shan't feel bad when I see it. I'm not going to get my expectations up
or be a bit excited."

In proof of the sincerity of this determination, she sat bolt upright
on the seat and looked straight before her. Her husband, however, was
staring out of the window with all his might.

"Say!" he exclaimed, "this is a mighty nice street, anyhow."

"Is it? Is it really?" For a person not excited, Mrs. Dott's breathing
was short and her fingers, tightly clasped in her lap, were trembling.

"You bet it is! Hey! Why, we're slo