ar to the southeast, in the valley between
Market Street--the wide diagonal highway that cut the city in two, and
ran from the ferries almost to the foot of Twin Peaks--and the high
mound known as Rincon Hill. "There," he said, "are the hovels and shops
that cover the block belonging to my mother and myself, and that is to
make us rich. Half is practically sold, and the proceeds, and the money
raised on the other half, will erect a building that is to cost some two
hundred thousand dollars. The insurance rates will be enormous, but even
so the income should be really a great one. If all goes well, the
foundations--of reinforced concrete, although they still laugh at
earthquakes--but Mr. Colton is a monster of caution--will be laid in
about six weeks, and then I shall watch the steel framework rise with a
very considerable interest."

"That means the beginnings of a millionaire. Do you really care so much
to be rich?"

"I know the value of money," said Gwynne, dryly. "I have no intention of
buying men after the fashion of your friend Tom Colton, but it is a
mighty good background for personality. Now you had better go in and get
some beauty sleep."

XXXV

Miss Montgomery called as Isabel and Gwynne were sitting down to
luncheon at two o'clock. She was not in the best of tempers, for she had
renewed her youth briefly the night before, her old admirers had shown
her much gallant attention, and if she had gone home with a song in her
heart and a flame in her eyes, she had been but the more conscious of
the wooden spoon upon awakening. She had risen with no very keen regret
for her vanished claims upon men long since married and consoled, for
she had never been what is called a marrying girl, but with her mind
inclined to gloomy meditation upon lost opportunities far more dear. She
had never ceased to believe that, the fates conspiring, she might have
become one of the great musicians of the world; for although she was
willing to admit the defect of will that had reduced her to the ranks,
she had not grasped the historic fact that the born artist accomplishes
his fulfilment in spite of all obstacles, imagined or real. Her
obstacles had been purely sentimental, for her family were commonplace
selfish people not worth considering, and, her endowment being just
short of distinguished, a misplaced sense of duty and the stultifying
influences of her home were responsible for her profession as caterer at
the age of th