worth ninety thousand. In consequence,
the entire Desnoyers family seemed suddenly to be suffering as
frightfully from cold as though a polar iceberg had invaded the avenida
Victor Hugo. The father kept only one fur coat for himself but ordered
three for his son. Chichi and Dona Luisa appeared arrayed in all kinds
of silky and luxurious skins--one day chinchilla, other days blue fox,
marten or seal.

The enraptured buyer would permit no one but himself to adorn the
walls with his new acquisitions, using the hammer from the top of a
step-ladder in order to save the expense of a professional picture
hanger. He wished to set his children the example of economy. In his
idle hours, he would change the position of the heaviest pieces of
furniture, trying every kind of combination. This employment reminded
him of those happy days when he handled great sacks of wheat and bundles
of hides on the ranch. Whenever his son noticed that he was looking
thoughtfully at a monumental sideboard or heavy piece, he prudently
betook himself to other haunts.

Desnoyers stood a little in awe of the two house-men, very solemn,
correct creatures always in dress suit, who could not hide their
astonishment at seeing a man with an income of more than a million
francs engaged in such work. Finally it was the two coppery maids
who aided their Patron, the three working contentedly together like
companions in exile.

Four automobiles completed the luxuriousness of the family. The children
would have been more content with one--small and dashing, in the very
latest style. But Desnoyers was not the man to let a bargain slip past
him, so one after the other, he had picked up the four, tempted by the
price. They were as enormous and majestic as coaches of state. Their
entrance into a street made the passers-by turn and stare. The chauffeur
needed two assistants to help him keep this flock of mastodons in order,
but the proud owner thought only of the skill with which he had gotten
the best of the salesmen, anxious to get such monuments out of their
sight.

To his children he was always recommending simplicity and economy. "We
are not as rich as you suppose. We own a good deal of property, but it
produces a scanty income."

And then, after refusing a domestic expenditure of two hundred francs,
he would put five thousand into an unnecessary purchase just because
it would mean a great loss to the seller. Julio and his sister kept
protesting to their m