etails of a design in a
contract too closely. You can only specify the minimum price the house
is to cost and the nature of the materials to be used. Some people's
idea of beauty will vary vastly from others. Taste in sections may
change. A whole city like New York may suddenly decide that it wants to
build west when you are figuring on its building east. So--well, all
these things have to be taken into consideration."

"That sounds logical enough," said Eugene, "but wouldn't the right sort
of a scheme just naturally draw to itself the right sort of people, if
it were presented in the right way? Don't you fix the conditions by your
own attitude?"

"You do, you do," replied Winfield, easily. "If you give the matter
sufficient care and attention it can be done. The pity is you can be too
fine at times. I have seen attempts at perfection come to nothing.
People with taste and tradition and money behind them are not moving
into new additions and suburbs, as a rule. You are dealing with the new
rich and financial beginners. Most people strain their resources to the
breaking point to better their living conditions and they don't always
know. If they have the money, it doesn't always follow that they have
the taste to grasp what you are striving for, and if they have the taste
they haven't the money. They would do better if they could, but they
can't. A man in my position is like an artist and a teacher and a father
confessor and financier and everything all rolled into one. When you
start to be a real estate developer on a big scale you must be these
things. I have had some successes and some notable failures. Winfield is
one of the worst. It's disgusting to me now."

"I have always wished I could lay out a seaside resort or a suburb,"
said Eugene dreamily. "I've never been to but one or two of the resorts
abroad, but it strikes me that none of the resorts here--certainly none
near New York--are right. The opportunities are so wonderful. The things
that have been done are horrible. There is no plan, no detail anywhere."

"My views exactly," said Winfield. "I've been thinking of it for years.
Some such place could be built, and I suppose if it were done right it
would be successful. It would be expensive, though, very, and those who
come in would have a long wait for their money."

"It would be a great opportunity to do something really worth while,
though," said Eugene. "No one seems to realize how beautiful a thing
like