It was like him to name his residence
"The Kurhaus." She would never know him in his private capacity, for the
simple reason that he hadn't one. The roses were an advertisement. So
Turner unpacked the basket, and while Zora was putting the roses into water
she wondered whether Mr. Sypher's house was decorated with pictorial
advertisements of the cure instead of pictures. Her woman's instinct,
however, caused the reflection that the roses must have cost more than all
the boxes of the cure she could buy in a lifetime.

Septimus was dutifully waiting for her in the hall. She noted that he was
more spruce than usual, in a new gray cashmere suit, and that his brown
boots shone dazzlingly, like agates. They went out together, and the first
person who met their eyes was the Friend of Humanity sunning himself in the
square and feeding the pigeons with bread crumbs from a paper bag. As soon
as he saw Zora he emptied his bag and crossed over.

"Good morning, Mrs. Middlemist. Good morning, Mr. Dix. Used the cure? I
see you have, Mrs. Middlemist. Isn't it wonderful? If you'd only go about
Monte Carlo with an inscription 'Try Sypher's Cure!' What an advertisement!
I'd have you one done in diamonds! And how did you find it, Mr. Dix?"

"I--oh!" murmured Septimus. "I forgot about it last night--and this morning
I found I hadn't any brown boot polish--I--"

"Used the cure?" cried Zora, aghast.

"Yes," said Septimus, timidly. "It's rather good," and he regarded his
dazzling boots.

Clem Sypher burst into a roar of laughter and clapped Septimus on the
shoulder.

"Didn't I tell you?" he cried delightedly. "Didn't I tell you it's good for
everything? What cream could give you such a polish? By Jove! You deserve
to be on the free list for life. You've given me a line for an ad. 'If your
skin is all right, try it on your boots.' By George! I'll use it. This is a
man with ideas, Mrs. Middlemist. We must encourage him."

"Mr. Dix is an inventor," said Zora. She liked Sypher for laughing. It made
him human. It was therefore with a touch of kindly feeling that she thanked
him for the roses.

"I wanted to make them blush at the sight of your complexion after the
cure," said he.

It was a compliment, and Zora frowned; but it was a professional
compliment--so she smiled. Besides, the day was perfect, and Zora not only
had not a care in the wide world, but was conscious of a becoming hat. She
could not help smiling pleasantly on the world