r he was surprised that it brought forth a frown. "I never saw a
man who had less sense about money," muttered "Nopper" to himself.
"Why, he spends it like a Chicago millionaire trying to get into New
York society. If it were not for the rest of us he'd be a pauper in six
months."

Paul Pettingill, to his own intense surprise and, it must be said,
consternation, was engaged to redecorate certain rooms according to a
plan suggested by the tenant. The rising young artist, in a great
flurry of excitement, agreed to do the work for $500, and then blushed
like a schoolgirl when he was informed by the practical Brewster that
the paints and material for one room alone would cost twice as much.

"Petty, you have no more idea of business than a goat," criticised
Montgomery, and Paul lowered his head in humble confession. "That man
who calcimines your studio could figure on a piece of work with more
intelligence than you reveal. I'll pay $2,500. It's only a fair price,
and I can't afford anything cheap in this place."

"At this rate you won't be able to afford anything," said Pettingill to
himself.

And so it was that Pettingill and a corps of decorators soon turned the
rooms into a confusion of scaffoldings and paint buckets, out of which
in the end emerged something very distinguished. No one had ever
thought Pettingill deficient in ideas, and this was his opportunity.
The only drawback was the time limit which Brewster so remorselessly
fixed. Without that he felt that he could have done something splendid
in the way of decorative panels--something that would make even the
glory of Puvis de Chavannes turn pallid. With it he was obliged to curb
his turbulent ideas, and he decided that a rich simplicity was the
proper note. The result was gorgeous, but not too gorgeous,--it had
depth and distinction.

Elated and eager, he assisted Brewster in selecting furniture and
hangings for each room, but he did not know that his employer was
making conditional purchases of everything. Mr. Brewster had agreements
with all the dealers to the effect that they were to buy everything
back at a fair price, if he desired to give up his establishment within
a year. He adhered to this rule in all cases that called for the
purchase outright of substantial necessities. The bump of
calculativeness in Monty Brewster's head was growing to abnormal
proportions.

In retaining his rooms at Mrs. Gray's, he gave the flimsy but pathetic
excuse that he