my new
enterprise, Piny Crest Court," says she.

"Apartment house, is it?" says I.

"No, no!" says she. "Haven't you read about it? It's to be a white plague
station for working girls."

"A white--white----Oh! For lungers, eh?"

"We never speak of them in that way, you know," says she, handin' me the
reprovin' look. "Piny Crest Court is the name I've given to the site.
Rather sweet, is it not? Really there are no pines on it, you know; but I
shall have a few set out. The buildings are to be perfectly lovely. I've
just seen the architect's plans,--four open front cottages grouped around
an administration infirmary, the superintendent's office to be finished
in white mahogany and gold, and the directors' room in Circassian walnut,
with a stucco frieze after della Robbia. Don't you simply love those
Robbia bambinos?"

"Great!" says I, lyin' as easy and genteel as if I had lots of practice.

"I am simply crazy to have the work started," she goes on; "so I am
spending three afternoons a week in filling up my lists. Everyone
responds so heartily, too. Now, let me see, I believe I have put you down
for a life membership."

"Eh?" says I, gaspin' some; for it ain't often I'm elected to things.

"You will have the privilege of voting for board members and of
recommending two applicants a year. A life membership is two hundred and
fifty dollars."

"You mean I get two-fifty," says I, "for--for just----"

Then I came to. And, say, did you ever know such a bonehead? Honest,
though, from all I'd heard of the way she spreads her money around, and
the patronizin' style she has of puttin' this proposition up to me, I
couldn't tell for a minute how she meant it. And when I suddenly
surrounds the idea that it's me gives up the two-fifty, I'm so fussed
that I drops back into the chair and begins to hunt through the desk for
my checkbook. And then I feels myself growin' a little warm behind the
ears.

"So you just put me down offhand for two hundred and fifty, did you?"
says I.

"If you wish," says she, "you may take out a life certificate for each
member of your family. Several have done that. Let me show you my list of
subscribers. See, here are some of the prominent merchants and
manufacturing firms. I haven't begun on the brokers and bankers yet; but
you will be in good company."

"Ye-e-es?" says I, runnin' my eye over the firm names. "But I don't know
much about this scheme of yours, Miss Colliver."

"Why, it is for w