in his lonely old age
he asked for no human sympathy or companionship, and, in fact, stood
in no need of either. With one devouring passion he set the world at
defiance. He loved his gold,--the metal itself, the weight an color
and touch of it. In his bedroom on the ground-floor Mr. Shackford
kept a small iron-clamped box filled to the lid with bright yellow
coins. Often, at the dead of night, with door bolted and curtain
down, he would spread out the glittering pieces on the table, and
bend over them with an amorous glow in his faded eyes. These were his
blond mistresses; he took a fearful joy in listening to their
rustling, muffle laughter as he drew them towards him with eager
hands. If at that instant a blind chanced to slam, or a footfall to
echo in the lonely court, then the withered old sultan would hurry
his slaves back into their iron-bound seraglio, and extinguish the
light. It would have been a wasted tenderness to pity him. He was
very happy in his own way, that Lemuel Shackford.

IX

Towards the close of his second year with Mr. Slocum, Richard was
assigned a work-room by himself, and relieved of his accountant's
duties. His undivided energies were demanded by the carving
department, which had proved a lucrative success.

The rear of the lot on which Mr. Slocum's house stood was shut off
from the marble yard by a high brick wall pierced with a private door
for Mr. Slocum's convenience. Over the kitchen in the extension,
which reached within a few feet of the wall, was a disused chamber,
approachable on the outside by a flight of steps leading to a
veranda. To this room Richard and his traps were removed. With a
round table standing in the center, with the plaster models arranged
on shelves and sketches in pencil and crayon tacked against the
whitewashed walls, the apartment was transformed into a delightful
atelier. An open fire-place, with a brace of antiquated iron-dogs
straddling the red brick hearth, gave the finishing touch. The
occupant was in easy communication with the yard, from which the busy
din of clinking chisels came musically to his ear, and was still
beyond the reach of unnecessary interruption. Richard saw clearly all
the advantages of this transfer, but he was far form having any
intimation that he had made the most important move of his life.

The room had two doors: one opened on the veranda, and the other
into a narrow hall connecting the extension with the main building.