stories."

"Nothing like keeping up the average. But aren't forty rooms with all
the closets and storerooms, and stairways and halls, and bays and
oriels and dungeons going to make a large house for one family? Can't
we work the same idea on a smaller scale?"

"Of course, but that is not too large for a comfortable home for a
family of moderate size. Count your fingers and try it. To begin at
that end of the establishment, we want a scullery, a kitchen, and a
servants' dining room; we want a breakfast room, and a large dining
room for the family, and the dining room, by the way, should be one of
the largest rooms in the house, say twenty-one or two feet by thirty
six or forty; we want a parlor, a drawing room, a library, a
billiard room and a picture gallery; a music room and ball room, these
being, of course, in one, but as large as two ordinary rooms; then we
want a nursery, a workroom for the children, a sick room and a sewing
room, an office and a smoking room, and one or two extra sitting or
reception rooms. Each member of the family should have a private
sitting room and bedroom, with dressing room and bath for each suite.
That, you see, would just about suit a family of ten people without
counting the servants."

[Illustration: A CASTLE IN SPAIN.]

"Have you made any calculation Jill, dear, as to how many people there
are at present in the United States who could manage to scrape along
with thirty-nine rooms instead of forty?"

"Why should I? This is a castle in Spain. We have plenty of money,
plenty of room, plenty of time. Our only anxiety is lest there should
be a lack of brains to make good use of our room and time and money."

"And what shall we build it of, jasper, sapphire and chalcedony?"

"No, burned clay and granite, steel, copper and glass. It shall be
defiant of fire and flood; it shall neither burn up nor rot down."

"One thing more, Jill, when we come to make our wills to which one of
the children shall we bequeath the castle?"

Before Jill could answer the door was hurriedly opened and Bessie
appeared upon the threshold.

"I've just run away from Jim," she began rapidly. "We haven't had a
family quarrel exactly, but we've argued it over and over, and we come
out just as far apart as ever. Finally I told him I would leave it to
you."

"I haven't any idea what it is all about, but did Jim agree to that?"

"I didn't give him a chance to differ. He always agrees to everything
Jill says