"Co-operation, as you say. With perfect co-operation and a perfect
communication, so that each need may be answered readily--these are the
ideas I wish to work out."

"Work out--how?"

"In my village."

He frowned at her in puzzled petulance.

"I don't understand a word."

"And it's almost impossible to make one understand, sir. Just wait and
watch the working of my plan. Mr. Barrington, have you ever had a
surplus of anything that you would gladly share with another, if you
knew exactly where it was most needed?"

"Yes," smiling suddenly, and glancing into a corner where was a
heaped-up, disorderly looking set of shelves from which the books had
overflowed upon the floor. "I was thinking, the other day, that if I
knew just the right young lawyer I would be glad to give him some of
those Reports."

"That's it! That's what I mean. Somewhere, some struggling lawyer is
longing for books and cannot get them; you have too many and are longing
to be rid of them. There are the two halves of a complete whole; don't
you see?"

"Certainly--if they could be brought together."

"Well, I want to try and bring them together."

"In your village? But how? Do you imagine you can play Providence to a
whole settlement, and complete all its half circles?"

"No, sir, I've no thought of that. I simply want to make it possible for
them to play Providence to each other. But it would take all day to tell
you just how. You have a clue now, and suppose you watch me work it out.
I shall probably come to you often for advice, and I must not take up
more of your time to-day."

She arose, with a brisk movement, and began fastening her fur collar, in
spite of his detaining gesture.

"No, no," she laughed, "don't tempt me! When I mount my hobby it carries
me fast and far. Save yourself from its heels. But I will come again."

He laughed with a hearty note.

"You know when to dismount, evidently, and just in time to whet one's
curiosity, too. I may be asking to ride it myself, next. Well, do come
again--but wait! What's the name of your new town?"

"I've been puzzling over that, Mr. Barrington. I wanted in some way to
have my family name connected with it, and yet not so distinctly as to
be suggestive, either. There is the English of it--of course it's a free
translation--that might do. I don't care to hint at my ideas in the
name, so perhaps----"

"Lavillotte?" he questioned. "What is the English of it."

"'The little town,'