the picture away from the public gaze, he consented
to take the job on; and, some ten minutes later, having made his way
blushfully through the hotel lobby and endured the frank curiosity of
the boy who worked the elevator, Archie entered his suite, the picture
under his arm.

He placed it carefully against the wall in order to leave himself more
scope for embracing Lucille, and when the joyful reunion--or the sacred
scene, if you prefer so to call it, was concluded, he stepped forward to
turn it round and exhibit it.

"Why, it's enormous," said Lucille. "I didn't know Mr. Wheeler ever
painted pictures that size. When you said it was one of his, I thought
it must be the original of a magazine drawing or something like--Oh!"

Archie had moved back and given her an uninterrupted view of the work of
art, and she had started as if some unkindly disposed person had driven
a bradawl into her.

"Pretty ripe, what?" said Archie enthusiastically.

Lucille did not speak for a moment. It may have been sudden joy that
kept her silent. Or, on the other hand, it may not. She stood looking at
the picture with wide eyes and parted lips.

"A bird, eh?" said Archie.

"Y--yes," said Lucille.

"I knew you'd like it," proceeded Archie with animation, "You see?
you're by way of being a picture-hound--know all about the things,
and what not--inherit it from the dear old dad, I shouldn't wonder.
Personally, I can't tell one picture from another as a rule, but I'm
bound to say, the moment I set eyes on this, I said to myself 'What
ho!' or words to that effect, I rather think this will add a touch of
distinction to the home, yes, no? I'll hang it up, shall I? 'Phone down
to the office, light of my soul, and tell them to send up a nail, a bit
of string, and the hotel hammer."

"One moment, darling. I'm not quite sure."

"Eh?"

"Where it ought to hang, I mean. You see--"

"Over the piano, you said. The jolly old piano."

"Yes, but I hadn't seen it then."

A monstrous suspicion flitted for an instant into Archie's mind.

"I say, you do like it, don't you?" he said anxiously.

"Oh, Archie, darling! Of course I do!-And it was so sweet of you to give
it to me. But, what I was trying to say was that this picture is so--so
striking that I feel that we ought to wait a little while and decide
where it would have the best effect. The light over the piano is rather
strong."

"You think it ought to hang in a dimmish light, what?"

"Y