six
o'clock in the morning. He wrote back that, after consulting the
convenience of all the people in the house, he had decided on eight in
the morning and ten at night, as everybody was at breakfast at the first
hour and that ten was the freest hour for the halls at night. He added
that the gentleman on the first floor went fishing at six every morning,
and had complained of having the halls washed at that hour, as he was
inconvenienced thereby.

A few days later we met Jepson on the street, and Aubrey stopped him and
said:

"There are several matters about the house I wish you would look into,
Mr. Jepson."

"Now look here, Mr. Jardine, if you expect me to run that whole
apartment-house to suit you, you are going to be mistaken."

"For whose comfort and convenience is it run?" I broke in before Aubrey
could stop me.

"For mine, madam! I arrange everything outside of your four walls."

"Then we have no rights as to entrance, elevator, and our upper hall?"
asked Aubrey.

"None, sir!"

I pulled the Angel away.

"Now, Aubrey," I said, "_I_ have had an apartment in Paris, and I know
what the power of the concierge is. But if you think for one minute that
I am going to submit to such impertinence here in America, you never were
more mistaken in your life."

"What do you intend to do?" asked my husband, with the very natural and
perfectly excusable interest a man takes when he sees his wife donning
her war-paint.

"The trouble with me is that I am too agreeable," I went on, firmly. The
Angel never flinched even at that statement. "I am too polite. We ask
for our rights as if we were requesting favours."

"Is it our right to say when the halls shall be cleaned?" asked Aubrey.

"Well, I leave it to you as a business man. There is a difference of
eight hundred dollars a year in the rent between the first floor and
ours. If we pay the highest rent shouldn't our wishes be considered
first?"

"Eight hundred dollars' worth first!" agreed Aubrey.

"Well, now I'll tell you what I think we would better do, and see if you
don't agree with me. To tell the truth, I am getting a little sick of
the tyranny of agents and janitors, and I propose to see if by making a
firm stand we cannot establish a precedent for the rights of tenants."

"Don't go to law," said Aubrey, "for every law in New York State seems to
favour agents and janitors. I've conducted too many cases not to know."

"We won't go to law. We wi