t that it was man's business, so she sent it to me
with her explanations. I went to Lilac Valley because I wanted to judge
for myself exactly what kind of young person she was. I wanted to see
her environment. I wanted to see the house that she felt sure was being
built from these plans. I wanted to satisfy myself of the stability
of what I had to work on before I mentioned the matter to you or Henry
Anderson."

Marian sat holding the plan, listening absorbedly to what he was saying.

"It's an ugly business," he said, "so ugly that there is no question
whatever but that it can be settled very quietly and without any
annoyance to you. I shall have to take the matter up with the board,
but I have the details so worked out that I shall have no difficulty
in arranging matters as I think best. There is no question whatever,
Marian, but Anderson found that sketch on the west side of the Strong
residence. When you left your plans lying on a table before a window in
the Strong guestroom the night before you came to San Francisco you did
not know that the santana which raged through the valley a day or two
previously had stripped a screen from the window before which you left
them. In opening your door to establish a draft before you went to
bed you started one that carried your top drawing through the window.
Waiting for Miss Strong the next morning, in making a circuit of
the grounds Anderson found it and appropriated it to most excellent
advantage. Miss Linda tells me that your study of architecture was
discussed at the dinner table that night. He could not have helped
realizing that any sheet of plans he found there must have been yours.
If he could acquit his conscience of taking them and using them, he
would still have to explain why he was ready to accept the first prize
and the conditions imposed when he already had a house fairly well under
construction from the plans he submitted in the contest. The rule is
unbreakable that the plans must be original, must be unused, must be our
sole property, if they take the prize."

Marian was leaning forward, her eyes wide with interest, her breast
agitated. She nodded in acquiescence. Eugene Snow reached across and
helped himself to another piece of candy from the box on her knee. He
looked at her speculatively and spoke quietly as if the matter were of
no great importance.

"Would it be agreeable, Marian, if the prize committee should announce
that there were reasons as to wh