too
late to withdraw."

"Withdraw!" I cried. "Never! They are the only tenants I want. I was
determined to get them, and I think I must have lowered the rent four
or five times in the course of the afternoon. I took a big slice out
of it before I mentioned the sum at all. You see," said I, very
impressively, "these Vincents exactly suit me." And then I went on to
state fully the advantages of the arrangement, omitting, however, any
references to my visions of Miss Vincent swinging in my hammocks or
musing in my study-chair.

It was now May 15, and my steamer would sail on the twenty-first. The
intervening days I employed, not in preparing for my travels, but in
making every possible arrangement for the comfort and convenience of my
incoming tenants. The Vincents did not wish to take possession until
June 1, and I was sorry they had not applied before I had engaged my
passage, for in that case I would have selected a later date. A very
good steamer sailed on June 3, and it would have suited me just as well.

Happening to be in New York one day, I went to the Vincents' city
residence to consult with them in regard to some awnings which I
proposed putting up at the back of the house. I found no one at home
but the old gentleman, and it made no difference to him whether the
awnings were black and brown or red and yellow. I cordially invited
him to come out before I left, and bring his family, that they might
look about the place to see if there was anything they would like to
have done which had not already been attended to. It was so much
better, I told him, to talk over these matters personally with the
owner than with an agent in his absence. Agents were often very
unwilling to make changes. Mr. Vincent was a very quiet and
exceedingly pleasant elderly gentleman, and thanked me very much for my
invitation, but said he did not see how he could find the time to get
out to my house before I sailed. I did not like to say that it was not
at all necessary for him to neglect his affairs in order to accompany
his family to my place, but I assured him that if any of them wished to
go out at any time before they took possession they must feel at
perfect liberty to do so.

I mentioned this matter to my agent, suggesting that if he happened to
be in New York he might call on the Vincents and repeat my invitation.
It was not likely that the old gentleman would remember to mention it
to his wife and daughter, and