f all he has learned is to crawl back
to where he started and build a castle exactly like the one from which
the tyrants drove him in the Old World."

"What a strange fellow you are, Jim." Her answer carried with it a
touch of resentment. "This house is mine, mine--not America's--please
remember that. Let the future American take of himself!"

"Certainly, I understand," he answered quickly, as the car stopped
under the vaulted porte-cochere. "You wouldn't be a woman if you didn't
feel that way. All right; I'm in your hands. To the devil with the
future American!"

"That's better!" she laughed.

Stuart shook hands with Bivens and was shocked to find him so weak.

The little man held his hand with a lingering wistfulness as he looked
into his friend's strong face.

"You don't know how rich you are, Jim," he said, feebly, "with this
hand that grips like iron. I'd give millions to feel my heart beat like
yours to-day."

"You'll get better down here," Stuart answered, cheerfully.

"I'm trying it anyhow," he said listlessly. "Make yourself at home, old
boy. This house is my pride. I want Nan to show you every nook and
corner in it. I wish I could trot around with you, but I can't."

"As soon as you've changed your clothes," Nan said, familiarly, "come
down to the library and I'll show you around."

Stuart followed the man assigned as his valet to the electric elevator
and in a minute stepped out on the fourth floor. He observed with a
smile that his room number was 157.

"The idea of living in a huge hotel and calling it a home!" he mused,
with grim humour. "Room 157; great Scott!"

His hostess showed him first the library. The magnificent room
contained more than forty thousand volumes, bound in hand-tooled
morocco.

"The funny thing, of course," Nan whispered, "is that Cal has never
read one of these exquisitely bound books."

"Why on earth did he make this room the most stately and beautiful one
in the house?"

"Maybe he didn't!" she laughed. "I'm going to give you a privilege no
mere man has ever enjoyed in this house before--I am going to show you
my own rooms. Will you appreciate the honour?"

The man answered with a bantering smile.

"If I live to tell the story!"

When the tour of inspection had been completed she led him to her own
suite, which was located in the south-western corner, overlooking the
magnificent formal gardens with their artificial lake, fountains,
statuary and a wilderness of