ficient that I know it. Good-by." She held out her
hand. "You can't say I haven't told you a good fortune, can you?"

As Hayden passed through the narrow hall he saw sitting in the
reception-room the next client--the gray-haired man with whom Marcia had
dined that evening at the Gildersleeve. But a further surprise awaited
him; for just as he reached the door leading from the apartment the rosy
and smiling little maid was admitting Wilfred Ames. Hayden almost ran
into him, and Ames, with a stare, muttered a surly recognition and passed
on in.

CHAPTER X

"Quite right."

Hayden regarded his calendar approvingly. The large red and gold letters
stared at him proclaiming arrogantly: "Every day is the best day of the
year." And was it not true? Yesterday had proved indeed a day of destiny.
It had brought him the assurance of a hope, the confirmation of a
hesitant belief that the owners of the lost Mariposa were within reach
and, better still, were not entirely masters of the situation. And
yesterday, too, he had met Ydo; and, perhaps, Hayden's thoughts had been
as much occupied with her as with his discovered but not possessed
Eldorado.

But Ydo herself was a sufficient excuse for that. And this was another
day. A daring thought came to him. Why not assist Fate and make it the
best day in the year--a day that should be Marcia's. At this brilliant
idea he looked at his watch and then rushed to the telephone. Surely
Marcia, even conscientious Marcia who worked painstakingly at her pretty
Little water-colors every day, would not have left for her studio. He
would throw dice with Destiny again to-day and push his luck. With this
determination, he rang up the residence of Mrs. Oldham. There was a
moment or two of delay, and then Marcia's voice answered. Hayden
mentioned the beauty of the day--it was overcast--the charm of this soft
and mild weather--an east wind blew piercingly--and diffidently assumed
that after a day in her studio, she would as usual take the air by
walking home through the Park.

Yes-s-s-s, she probably would.

Then since he had hoped to call upon her mother that afternoon, might he
not join her and walk up with her, and would she not be leaving her
brushes and canvases early, at half-after four, for instance.

Yes-s-s, he said four o'clock, did he not? Fate again honored him, she
would be at the Plaza then calling on a friend.

Hayden had won in his dice-throwing and Fate took defeat handso