take to heart. It's easier to get the best of a rogue than of a
jay. The jay as a rule knows he's a jay, and is terrified all the time
lest other people should find it out. The rogue believes that he's
cleverer than he is, and that other people are bigger fools than they
are.... Shall we--"

"By all means," Dauncey acquiesced, reaching promptly for his hat.

CHAPTER X

Houses sprang up like mushrooms on the Cropstone Wood Estate, and
rents were soon at a premium. Mr. Littleham's activities were
transferred, by arrangement with Jacob, to a builder of more
conservative type, and the Estate speedily became one of the show
places of the neighbourhood. It combined the conveniences of a suburb
with the advantages of a garden city. The special motor-omnibuses
run by the Company, connected the place with the railway. The
telephone company were induced to open an exchange, and the Cropstone
tradespeople, speedily abandoning their attitude of benevolent
indifference, tumbled over themselves in their anxiety to obtain the
orders of the neighbourhood. Jacob somewhat surreptitiously furnished
a room for himself over the offices of the company and, soon after the
coming of Mrs. Bultiwell and her daughter, paid a visit to the place.
In fear and trembling he stole out, after an early dinner on the night
of his arrival, and, seated on a hummock at the top of the ridge,
looked down at the little colony.

It was not long before the expected happened. A girl in a white gown
appeared in the garden immediately below him, singing softly to
herself and wielding a watering can. Presently she saw Jacob and
paused in her task. Jacob raised his hat and she came slowly towards
him. His heart thumped against his ribs. He thought of "Maud" and
other sentimental poems, where the heroine was scornful and of high
degree, and the lover very much her slave. Sybil Bultiwell's
expression was certainly not encouraging.

"You don't mean to tell me, Mr. Pratt," she began coldly, "that you
are coming to live out here yourself?"

"No idea of it," Jacob hastened to explain, as he sprang to his feet.
"I have just furnished a room over the office, so as to spend a night
or two here, now and then, and see that everything is going on all
right. A new enterprise like this needs a watchful eye. No intention
of making a nuisance of myself, I can promise you, Miss Bultiwell."

In her relief she forgot that the watering can was half full. Jacob
stepped