a rather constant state of
looking after the game."

"What about my hat, David?" Margaret inquired anxiously. "Do you like
that?"

"I do," David admitted. "I'm crazy about it. It's a lovely cross
between the style affected by the late Emperor Napoleon and my august
grandmother, with some frills added."

The chauffeur turned into a cross street and stopped abruptly before
an imposing but apparently unguarded entrance.

"Why, I thought this was a studio building," Gertrude said. "David, if
you're springing a tea party on us, and we in the wild ungovernable
state we are at present, I'll shoot the way my hat is pointing."

"Straight through my left eye-glass," David finished. "You wait till
you see the injustice you have done me."

But Margaret, who often understood what was happening a few moments
before the revelation of it, clutched at his elbow.

"Oh! David, David," she whispered, "how wonderful!"

"Wait till you see," David said, and herded them into the elevator.

Their destination was the top floor but one. David hurried them around
the bend in the sleekly carpeted corridor and touched the bell on the
right of the first door they came to. It opened almost instantly and
David's man, who was French, stood bowing and smiling on the
threshold.

"Mr. Styvvisont has arrive'," he said; "he waits you."

"Welcome to our city," Peter cried, appearing in the doorway of the
room Alphonse was indicating with that high gesture of delight with
which only a Frenchman can lead the way. "Jimmie's coming up from the
office and Beulah's due any minute. What do you think of the place,
girls?"

"Is it really yours, David?"

"Surest thing you know." He grinned like a schoolboy. "It's really
ours, that's what it is. I've broken away from the mater at last," he
added a little sheepishly. "I'm going to work seriously. I've got an
all-day desk job in my uncle's office and I'm going to dig in and see
what I can make of myself. Also, this is going to be our headquarters,
and Eleanor's permanent home if we're all agreed upon it,--but look
around, ladies. Don't spare my blushes. If you think I can interior
decorate, just tell me so frankly. This is the living-room."

"It's like that old conundrum--black and white and red all over,"
Gertrude said. "I never saw anything so stunning in all my life."

"Gosh! I admire your nerve," Peter cried, "papering this place in
white, and then getting in all this heavy carved black stuff, and