ghness in connection with each professional undertaking. Save for
the thought that he must needs earn more in order to please Selma, he
would have been completely happy in the slow but flattering growth of
his business, and in feeling his way securely toward greater success.
Now, however, he began to ask himself if it were not possible to hasten
this or that piece of work in order to afford himself the necessary
leisure for new employment. He began also to consider whether he might
not be able, without loss of dignity, to put himself in the way of
securing more important clients. To solicit business was not to be
thought of, but now and again he put the question to himself whether he
had not been too indifferent as to who was who, and what was what, in
the development of his business.

While Littleton was thus mulling over existing conditions, and
subjecting his conduct to the relentless lens of his own conscience and
theories, Selma announced to him jubilantly, about a fortnight
subsequent to their conversation, that her secret was a secret no
longer, and that Mr. Parsons desired to employ him to build an imposing
private residence on Fifth Avenue near the Park. Mr. Parsons confirmed
this intelligence on the following day in a personal interview. He
informed Littleton that he was going to build in order to please his
wife and daughter, and intimated that expense need not stand in the way
of the gratification of their wishes. After the business matters were
disposed of he was obviously ready to intrust all the artistic details
to his architect. Consequently Littleton enjoyed an agreeable quarter of
an hour of exaltation. He was pleased at the prospect of building a
house of this description, and the hope of being able to give free scope
to his architectural bent without molestation made that prospect
roseate. He could desire no better opportunity for expressing his ideas
and proving his capacity. It was an ideal chance, and his soul thrilled
as he called up the shadowy fabric of scheme after scheme to fill the
trial canvas of his fantasy. Nor did he fail to award due credit to
Selma for her share in the transaction; not to the extent, perhaps, of
confessing incapacity on his own part, but by testifying lovingly to her
cleverness. She was in too good humor at her success to insist on his
humiliation in set terms. The two points in which she was most vitally
interested--the advantage of her own interference and the consequ