."

"It's pretty steep," said the young man, but his mild tone already
betrayed him. "And how about servants?"

"Ah," said Reed, looking particularly mask-like, "servants! That has
been the great difficulty. To guarantee domestic service that will
satisfy your difficult Northern standards--"

"I am fussy about only two things," said Crane, "cooking and boots. Must
have my boots properly done."

"If you could have brought your own valet--"

"But I told you he has typhoid fever. Now, see here, Mr. Reed, there
really isn't any use wasting my time and yours. If you have not been
able to get me a staff of servants with the house, I wouldn't dream of
taking it. I thought we had made that clear."

Reed waved his impatient client again to his chair.

"There are at this moment four well-recommended servants yonder in the
back office, waiting to be interviewed."

"By me?" exclaimed Crane, looking slightly alarmed.

Reed bowed.

"I wish first, however," he went on, "to say a word or two about
them. I obtained them with the greatest difficulty, from the
Crosslett-Billingtons, of whom you have doubtless often heard."

"Never in my life," said Crane.

Reed raised his eyebrows.

"He is one of our most distinguished citizens. His collection of
tapestry, his villa at Capri--Ah, well, but that is immaterial! The
family is now abroad, and has in consequence consented, as a personal
favor to me, to allow you to take over four of their servants for the
six weeks you will be here, but not a minute longer."

Crane leaned back and blew smoke in the air.

"Are they any good?" he asked.

"You must judge for yourself."

"No, you must tell me."

"The butler is a competent person; the skill of the cook is a
proverb--but we had better have them come in and speak to you
themselves."

"No, by Jove!" cried Crane, springing to his feet. "I don't think I
could stand that." And he incontinently rushed from the office to the
motor, where three mummy-like figures on the back seat had remained
immovable during his absence.

Of these, two were female and one male. To the elder of the women, Crane
applied, hat in hand.

"Won't you give me the benefit of your advice, Mrs. Falkener," he said.
"The agent has some servants for me. The wages and everything like that
have all been arranged, but would you mind just looking them over for me
and telling me what you think about them?"

To invite Mrs. Falkener to give her advice on a detail