dispassionately indeed was he delivering himself of these remarks that it
was impossible to tell whether he meant their application to be personal；
to me； or general； to my associates。 〃I went to jail when I was fourteen
because I wanted a knife to make kite sticks； and I stole a razor from a
barber。 I was bitter when they steered me into a lockup in Hickory
Street。 It was full of bugs and crooks； and they put me in the same cell
with an old…timer named 'Red' Waters； who was one of the slickest safe…
blowers around in those days。 Red took a shine to me； found out I had a
head piece； and said their gang could use a clever boy。 If I'd go in
with him； I could make all kinds of money。 I guess I might have joined
the gang if Red hadn't kept talkingabout how the boss of his district
named Gallagher would come down and get him out；and sure enough
Gallagher did come down and get him out。 I thought I'd rather be
Gallagher than RedRed had to serve time once in a while。 Soon as he
got out I went down to Gallagher's saloon； and there was Red leaning over
the bar。 'Here's a smart kid！ he says； 'He and me were room…mates over
in Hickory Street。' He got to gassing me； and telling me I'd better come
along with him； when Gallagher came in。 'What is it ye'd like to be； my
son？' says he。 A politician； I told him。 I was through going to jail。
Gallagher had a laugh you could hear all over the place。 He took me on
as a kind of handy boy around the establishment； and by and by I began to
run errands and find out things for him。 I was boss of that ward myself
when I was twenty…six。。。。 How'd you like that cigar？〃
I praised it。
〃It ought to have been a good one；〃 he declared。 〃Well； I don't want to
keep you here all afternoon telling you my life story。〃
I assured him I had been deeply interested。
〃Pretty slick idea of yours； that dummy company； Mr。 Paret。 Go ahead and
organize it。〃 He rose； which was contrary to his custom on the departure
of a visitor。 〃Drop in again。 We'll talk about the books。〃。。。
I walked slowly back reflecting on this conversation； upon the motives
impelling Mr。 Jason to become thus confidential； nor was it the most
comforting thought in the world that the artist in me had appealed to the
artist in him； that he had hailed me as a breather。 But for the grace of
God I might have been Mr。 Jason and he Mr。 Paret： undoubtedly that was
what he had meant to imply。。。 And I was forced to admit that he had
succeededdeliberately or notin making the respectable Mr。 Paret just
a trifle uncomfortable。
In the marble vestibule of the Corn National Bank I ran into Tallant；
holding his brown straw hat in his hand and looking a little more moth…
eaten than usual。
〃Hello； Paret；〃 he said 〃how is that telephone business getting along？〃
〃Is Dickinson in？〃 I asked。
Tallant nodded。
We went through the cool bank； with its shining brass and red mahogany；
its tiled floor； its busy tellers attending to files of clients； to the
president's sanctum in the rear。 Leonard Dickinson； very spruce and
dignified in a black cutaway coat； was dictating rapidly to a woman；
stenographer； whom he dismissed when he saw us。 The door was shut。
〃I was just asking Paret about the telephone affair；〃 said Mr。 Tallant。
〃Well； have you found a way out？〃 Leonard Dickinson looked questioningly
at me。
〃It's all right；〃 I answered。 〃I've seen Jason。〃
〃All right！〃 they both ejaculated at once。
〃We win；〃 I said。
They stood gazing at me。 Even Dickinson； who was rarely ruffled； seemed
excited。
〃Do you mean to say you've fixed it？〃 he demanded。
I nodded。 They stared at me in amazement。
〃How the deuce did you manage it？〃
〃We organize the Interurban Telephone Company； and bid for the franchise
that's all。〃
〃A dummy company！〃 cried Tallant。 〃Why； it's simple as ABC！〃
Dickinson smiled。 He was tremendously relieved； and showed it。
〃That's true about all great ideas； Tallant；〃 he said。 〃They're simple；
only it takes a clever man to think of them。〃
〃And Jason agrees？〃 Tallant demanded。
I nodded again。 〃We'll have to outbid the Automatic people。 I haven't
seen Bitter yet about theabout the fee。〃
〃That's all right；〃 said Leonard Dickinson； quickly。 〃I take off my hat
to you。 You've saved us。 You can ask any fee you like；〃 he added
genially。 〃Let's go over toto the Ashuela and get some lunch。〃 He had
been about to say the Club； but he remembered Mr。 Tallant's presence in
time。 〃Nothing's worrying you； Hugh？〃 he added； as we went out； followed
by the glances of his employees。
〃Nothing；〃 I said。。。。
XVIX。
Making money in those days was so ridiculously easy！ The trouble was to
know how to spend it。 One evening when I got home I told Maude I had a
surprise for her。
〃A surprise？〃 she asked； looking up from a little pink smock she was
making for Chickabiddy。
〃I've bought that lot on Grant Avenue； next to the Ogilvys'。〃
She dropped her sewing； and stared at me。
〃Aren't you pleased？〃 I asked。 〃At last we are going to have a house of
our very own。 What's the matter？〃
〃I can't bear the thought of leaving here。 I'm so used to it。 I've
grown to love it。 It's part of me。〃
〃But；〃 I exclaimed； a little exasperated； 〃you didn't expect to live here
always； did you？ The house has been too small for us for years。 I
thought you'd be delighted。〃 （This was not strictly true； for I had
rather expected some such action on her part。） 〃Most women would。 Of
course； if it's going to make such a difference to you as that； I'll sell
the lot。 That won't be difficult。〃
I got up； and started to go into my study。 She half rose； and her sewing
fell to the floor。
〃Oh； why are we always having misunderstandings？ Do sit down a minute；
Hugh。 Don't think I'm not appreciative；〃 she pleaded。 〃It wassuch a
shock。〃
I sat down rather reluctantly。
〃I can't express what I think；〃 she continued； rather breathlessly； 〃but
sometimes I'm actually frightened； we're going through life so fast in
these days； and it doesn't seem as if we were getting the real things out
of it。 I'm afraid of your success； and of all the money you're making。〃
I smiled。
〃I'm not so rich yet； as riches go in these days； that you need be
alarmed；〃 I said。
She looked at me helplessly a moment。
〃I feel that it isn'tright； somehow； that you'll pay for it； that we'll
pay for it。 Goodness knows； we have everything we want； and more too。
This housethis house is real； and I'm afraid that won't be a home；
won't be real。 That we'll be overwhelmed withwith things！〃。。。
She was interrupted by the entrance of the children。 But after dinner；
when she had seen them to bed； as was her custom； she came downstairs
into my study and said quietly： …
〃I was wrong； Hugh。 If you want to build a house； if you feel that you'd
be happier； I have no right to object。 Of course my sentiment for this
house is natural； the children were born here； but I've realized we
couldn't live here always。〃
〃I'm glad you look at it that way；〃 I replied。 〃Why； we're already
getting cramped； Maude； and now you're going to have a governess I don't
know where you'd put her。〃
〃Not too large； a house；〃 she pleaded。 〃I know you think I'm silly； but
this extravagance we see everywhere does make me uneasy。 Perhaps it's
because I'm provincial； and always shall be。〃
〃Well； we must have a house large enough to be comfortable in；〃 I said。
〃There's no reason why we shouldn't be comfortable。〃 I thought it as
well not to confess my ambitions； and I was greatly relieved that she did
not reproach me for buying the lot without consulting her。 Indeed； I was
grateful for this unanticipated acquiescence； I felt nearer to her； than
I had for a long time。 I drew up another chair to my desk。
〃Sit down and we'll make a few sketches； just for fun；〃 I urged。
〃Hugh；〃 she said presently； as we were blacking out prospective rooms；
〃do you remember all those drawings and plans we made in England； on our
wedding trip； and how we knew just what we wanted； and changed our minds
every few days？ And now we're ready to build； and haven't any ideas at
all！〃
〃Yes；〃 I answeredbut I did not look at her。
〃I have the book stillit's in the attic somewhere； packed away in a
box。 I suppose those plans would seem ridiculous now。〃
It was quite true；now that we were ready to build the home that had
been deferred so long； now that I had the money to spend without stint on
its construction； the irony of life had deprived me of those strong
desires and predilections I had known on my wedding trip。 What a joy it
would have been to build then！ But now I found myself： wholly lacking in
definite ideas as to style and construction。 Secretly； I looked forward
to certain luxuries； such as a bedroom and dressing…room and warm tiled
bathroom all to myself bachelor privacies for which I had longed。 Two
mornings later at the breakfast table Maude asked me if I had thought of
an architect。
〃Why； Archie Lammerton； I suppose。 Who else is there？ Have you anyone
else in mind？〃
〃N…no；〃 said Maude。 〃But I heard of such a clever man in Boston； who
doesn't charge Mr。 Lammerton's prices； and who designs such beautiful
private houses。〃
〃But we can afford to pay Lammerton's prices；〃 I replied； smiling。 〃And
why shouldn't we have the best？〃
〃Are you surehe is the best； Hugh？〃
〃Everybody has him；〃 I said。
Maude smiled in return。
〃I suppose that's a good reason；〃 she answered。
〃Of course it's a good reason；〃 I assured her。 〃These peoplethe people
we knowwouldn't have had Lammerton unless he was satisfactory。 What's
the matter with his houses？〃
〃Well；〃 said Maude； 〃they're not very original。 I don't say they're not
good； in away； but they lack a certain imagination。 It's difficult for
me to express what I mean； 'machine made' isn't precisely the idea； but
there should be a certain irregularity in artshouldn't there？ I saw a
reproduction in one of the architectural journals of a house in Boston by
a man named Frey； that seemed to me to have great charm。〃
Here was Lucia； unmistakably。
〃That's all very well；〃 I said impatiently； 〃but w