somely in idleness and then be abused by him. But
fortunately it had not got to that point in their marriage--nothing
worse than sullenness and silence or angry words had happened thus far.

The Davises terminated their visit sooner than had been expected. The
little boy's ill health was made the excuse, but the fact was that the
tempestuous atmosphere of the Zornec household was far from pleasant to
easy-going people. They engaged the couple for a return visit the next
spring in California and motored off to Paris. The Zornecs had been a
good object lesson to them, and for the rest of their trip they remained
good friends, being almost lover-like in their respect for each other.
They seemed to feel the dangers ahead and restrained their moods.
Finally, gathering together their plunder they sailed home, and this
time did not make any attempt to evade the custom-house ordeal. They
paid nobly for the privilege of being American citizens and did not
demur. Adelle insisted upon that, remembering their former experience.
Archie was in such haste to get back to California where "Seaboard was
acting queer" that he would have paid double for the privilege of
entering his own country. They sped swiftly across the continent to
their new home.

XXXIV

The house was far from finished by the end of September when they
arrived. Their idea of what it should be had developed so fast under the
stimulus of the young architect that they could not recognize the
original conception in the imposing structure that awaited them. It was
meant to be an adaptation of a Spanish villa, in two wings, with a long
elevation upon the ravine connecting the two. There was also to be a
complicated set of terraces and forecourt, formal gardens, pool, and
orangery, which required an immense amount of masonry work that had
scarce been begun. Nevertheless they attempted to install themselves in
spite of the fact that the workmen were cluttered all over the place,
and moved into the wing that was most nearly completed, husband and wife
occupying a ground floor suite that was meant for bachelor guests, the
child and its nurse being housed temporarily upstairs in the main house.
Adelle did not like this separation from the child, but there seemed
nothing else to do for the present.

That autumn and winter they lived at close quarters with an army of
workmen, who, having three masters,--Adelle, Archie, and the
architect,--took advantage of the resulti