that had poked its nose confidingly into Johnny's
hand at every visit. "There was too much excitement for her with all
the strangers round, but she'll be glad to see you, sir."

"Give Beauty my card and tell her I'll be back," directed Johnny with a
friendly glance in the direction of Beauty's summer residence. "Didn't
you say something this morning about a crowd of setter puppies?"

"Yes, sir," replied the dog expert proudly. "Several of the gentlemen
have been down to see them, but the day has been so hot I didn't care
to bring them out. It's cool enough now, sir, if you'd like to see
them."

"I'll be back, in five minutes," returned Johnny hastily. "I'll say
hello to Beauty first."

Beauty barked and capered when she was let out, and expressed her
entire approval of Johnny in fluent dog language, looking after him
reproachfully when he hurried away.

Johnny first begged a puppy of Courtney, then he brought Eugene Wobbles
and Tommy Wobbles and Billy and Cecil and Reggie Wobbles down in turns
to pick it out for him. Each of the Wobbleses was still there,
deciding, when he brought another. When the last Wobbles, including
their friend Birchard, was in the inclosure Johnny locked the gate and
sent Loring on a brisk errand. That energetic commercial attorney
returned in a very few minutes, laden with some papers and writing
materials, and followed by a servant carrying a wicker table.

"Gentlemen," said Johnny in a quite oratorical tone of voice, "suppose
we talk business."

The assembled Wobbleses turned in gasping surprise from the violent
family dispute over the puppies.

"Upon my soul, this is a most extraordinary thing!" exclaimed Eugene,
looking about him in amazement. "Why, the whole blooming family is
here, even Tommy. I say, Tommy, it's perfectly imbecile, with all due
respect to you, to prefer that little beggar with the white star."

"I'll back him for a hundred pounds before any official committee,"
indignantly quavered Tommy, feeling in all the wrong pockets for his
betting-book.

"Gentlemen," interposed Johnny most crudely indeed, "I am here to
repeat my offer of three million dollars, cash, for your Bronx
property; one-half million dollars to-day, one million dollars next
Saturday, May twentieth, and the remaining million and a half the
following Saturday, May twenty-seventh, title to remain vested in you
until the entire amount is paid. Just to show that I mean business I
have brought each of