a fortunate chance, happened
to touch upon the prophet Daniel.

And when the Y.M.C.A. people looked out of _their_ side windows,
Sophronisba's alluring bill-boards besought them to smoke only
certain cigarettes and to be sure to look for the trademark on their
playing-cards. Naturally, this made the Y.M.C.A. secretaries very,
very happy.

A weather-beaten picket fence protected the lot upon the street
front; the bill-boards formed the side attractions; and in the
center front was the monument, a stone of stumbling and offense. It
was a neat, plain granite obelisk, which bore this inscription:

This Stone is Erected
By the Affection
of
Sophronisba Hynds Scarlett
To Commemorate the Many Virtues
of
The Most Perfect Gentleman in Hyndsville
Her Bloodhound
NIPPER

"There should have been an open season for Sophronisba," Alicia said
with conviction. Then she put her head down and laughed.

The judge looked at her over his glasses, doubtfully. With a slight
edge to his voice he referred to the several prosecutions "for
wanton and wilful trespassings" upon the closed, barbed-wire lane
behind Hynds House. As the strip in question was not a public
thoroughfare, and Mrs. Scarlett had rock-ribbed titles covering it,
she could close it; and she did, greatly to the inconvenience of her
immediate neighbors, particularly Doctor Richard Geddes.

"There is something to be said for Mrs. Scarlett's methods," said
the judge dryly. "The Lafayette Street bill-boards are the
best-paying ones in Hyndsville. As to closing the lane, Miss Smith,
let me remind you that Doctor Geddes, although an estimable man and
a very able physician, is not at all backward in coming forward in a
quarrel. He greatly angered my late client."

"Nevertheless, that barbed wire comes down. He may use the lane
whenever he wants to," I decided.

The judge bowed. "And now," he said, politely, "let us take up the
case of Mr. Nicholas Jelnik, if you please. It was Mrs. Scarlett's
wish that you should be fully informed concerning Mr. Jelnik's
antecedents, that you might be on your guard."

"Against Mr. Jelnik? But, good heavens, why? Why?" I was beginning
to get angry. "Let me see: I am to make myself odious to Mr. Jelnik,
and I am to refuse to allow a physician to run his car through a
barren strip of weeds and sand, because they