agerly inquired.

"The property owned by that lady on Riverside Drive. I see by this
morning's paper that the working-girls' home is not to be built. I
suppose you already know it, however."

"I overlooked that scandal," he confessed. "Wasn't the building to be
ugly enough?"

"This was a little obscure paragraph," she told him. "It was rather a
joking item, based upon the fact that there is a great deal of ill
feeling among the neighbors, who clubbed together and bought the option
to prevent a building of this character from being erected. I'm so glad
you didn't know about it!"

Her enthusiasm was contagious. Johnny himself was glad. It seemed like
a terrific waste of time to have to wait a month before he could tell
her what he thought of her; but he had to have that million!

"You're a careful score keeper," he complimented her. "I'll go right
after that property. Does the item say who controls it now?"

"I have the paper before me. I'll read you the names," she returned
with businesslike preparedness: "Mr. James Jameson-Guff, Mr. G. W.
Mason, Mr. Martin Sheats, Mr. Edward Kettle."

"All the neighbors," he commented. "They don't like honest
working-girls, I guess. That's a fine crowd of information you've
handed me. I ought to give you a partnership in that million."

"You just run along or you'll be too late!" she urged him. "I'll take
my commission in the five-thousand-dollar hours you donate to the
Babies' Fund Fair. By the way, from whom do you suppose that option was
purchased?"

"Gresham?" inquired Johnny promptly and with such a thrill of startled
intensity in his tone that Constance could not repress a giggle.

"No, James Collaton," she informed him. "That's all the news. Hurry,
now! Report to me, won't you, as soon as you find out whether you can
secure the property? I haven't made an entry on my score board since
last Wednesday night. Good-by."

"Good-by," said Johnny reluctantly; but he held the telephone open,
trying to think of something else to say until he heard the click which
told him that she had hung up.

Last Wednesday night! Why, that was the night he had given the dinner
in celebration of his passing the quarter-of-a-million mark; and after
he had taken her home from the dinner she had sat up to rule and mark
that elaborate score board! Somehow his lungs felt very light and
buoyant.

Collaton, though? How did he get into the deal? Suddenly Johnny
remembered Val Russel's joking at