down through Grinling Gibbons
and Pugin, and away to Chippendale and Adam, and other masters of the
Georgian era. They came at length to the chamber sacred to the Virgin
Queen; they contemplated the glorious view from the window in silent
appreciation tinged with rapture.

"It's exquisite," Ethel said in a low voice. "If this were my house I
should be very much tempted to commit an act of sacrilege. I should want
this for my own room. I'm afraid I could not resist such an
opportunity."

"Easily done," said Chesney. "No trouble to discover from the family
archives that a mistake had been made, and that Elizabeth of blessed
memory had not slept in this room. Being strong-minded she preferred a
north aspect, and this is due south. You would get a reputation for
sound historical knowledge as well."

Certainly the education was progressing. But Ethel let it pass. She was
leaning out of the latticed windows with the creamy roses about her
hair; she was falling unconsciously under the glamour of the place.

"It is exquisite," she sighed. "If this were only mine!"

"Well, it is not too late. The heir will be here before long, probably.
You have only to introduce the name of Mr. Mainbrace and say who you
are, and then----"

"Oh, no. If I happened to be in love with a man--what am I saying? Of
course, no girl who respects herself could possibly marry a man for the
sake of his position. Even 'Mrs. Dorothy Kent,' to whom you compared me
this morning, was above that kind of thing. She married the man she
loved after all, you know. But I forget--you did not think much of the
comedy."

"I didn't. I thought it was vague and incomplete. I am certain of it
now. This is the real thing; the other was merely artificial. And when
the hero brought 'Dorothy Kent' to the home of his ancestors he already
knew that she loved him. And I am glad to know that you would never
marry a man like that because it gives me courage----"

"Gives you courage! Whatever for?"

"Why, to make a confession. You laughed at me just now when I presumed
to criticize your favorite modern comedy. As a matter of fact, I have
every right to criticize it. You see, I happen to be the author. I am
'John Kennedy'! I have been writing for the stage, or trying to write
for the stage, for years. I got my new idea from that old wish of my
uncle's that you and I should come together. It struck me as a pretty
suggestion for a comedy."

"Stop, stop," Ethel cried. "One t