expenses. That's the secret of all high finance, my friend."

"But, monsieur," stammered Pelletan, more and more astounded, "eef t'ere
iss no one to pay, what does it matter?"

"There _will_ be some one to pay--leave that to me. You don't understand
American enterprise, Pelletan. I'm going to astonish you. Now mind one
thing--if Zeit-Zeit comes over here and wants an apartment, you're to
shut him out--I won't have him in the house--not at any price!"

Pelletan grew pale at the thought.

"Refuse t'e Prince of Zeit-Zeit!" he stammered.

"Yes--if you let him in, I'll kick him out. And another thing--the
service has got to be first-class--the best in Europe--nothing gaudy,
you understand, but a quiet elegance that will make us talked about. Do
you think you can accomplish it?"

"I vill do my pest, monsieur," promised Pelletan.

"The place, of course, I'll have to take as I find it," went on
Rushford, with a glance around, "though it's littered up with gewgaws
and dinkey furniture which ought to be made into a bonfire. If I had a
little more time, I'd re-decorate the whole house. Those imitation
marble pillars over there are an insult to the intelligence."

"T'ey haf peen t'ought fery beautiful, monsieur," murmured Pelletan,
humbly.

"Yes--I've noticed that Europeans have a weakness for imitations. It's a
defect of character, I suppose. But there's one thing you _can_ do--and
right away. Send that boy at the desk up to his room and tell him to rip
all that gold braid off his coat. To look at him, you'd think he was a
major-general."

Pelletan stared at his partner to see if he was in earnest.

"Oh, I know it will be a deprivation," said the American, a glint of
humour in his eyes. "You can raise his wages a franc a day to make up
for it."

"Fery well, monsieur," and Pelletan crossed over to the desk and gave
the boy his commands. The latter dragged away up the stair with a
countenance in which grief and joy struggled for the mastery. "Anyt'ing
else, monsieur?" asked the Frenchman, coming back.

"No, I don't think of anything just at this moment. But you do your part
and I'll do mine. Now suppose you go out and get the notary, while I
work my brain a bit."

Pelletan staggered rather than walked to the door, his head in his
hands, fairly overwhelmed. A moment later, Rushford saw him hurrying
down the street. He got out a third cigar and settled back in his chair
with a chuckle of satisfaction.

"Maybe I'll