which says 'heat when necessary.' But I intend to give you an
opportunity right now to change your mind about several things."

Jepson dropped his hat on the floor and fumbled for it.

"I'll take the matter up with the president of our company," he said.

"Do," said Aubrey, cordially.

The next morning while Aubrey was down-town the president of the real
estate company called.

"Now, Mrs. Jardine," he said, "I just thought I would drop in while your
husband was away to discuss this little difficulty in a friendly way and
see if you and I couldn't come to some arrangement by which both parties
will be satisfied."

"Yes?" I said.

"You see, Mrs. Jardine, you as a lady will realize that your husband took
a very high-handed way,--in fact, I may say it was the most high-handed
proceeding I have ever heard of in all my business career."

"Yes? I suppose it must have astonished you as much as it amazed us to
discover that we were to be heated by date instead of by temperature."

"Er--er well! Of course, you didn't know, but you must understand that
that rule obtains among all agents in New York."

"So we heard," I said, indifferently.

"You know that?"

"Oh, certainly."

"Did you know what method Mr. Jardine was about to pursue to force us to
heat your apartment before any one else asked for heat?"

"I suggested it to him," I said, gently.

"You sug--Well, of course. Hum! I see."

"And as for none of the other tenants wanting heat, every family in the
house asked for it. The lady on the third floor has a five-weeks-old
baby, and, as you know, there are no gas-logs in any of the bedrooms."

"Well," said the president, rising, "I must look into this. I will take
the matter up with the owners."

"Good morning," I said. "I will tell Mr. Jardine that you called."

"Yes, do," he said, hurriedly putting on his hat, and then taking it off
again. "Good morning. Mr. Jardine will hear from me."

"I hope so," I said to myself as Mary closed the door. "We never have
before."

The owners called next, singly and in couples. We were delighted to meet
them, for we were convinced that we never would have had the pleasure of
their acquaintance under any other circumstances.

After more interviews and letters than any $27 ever occasioned before, we
finally received a letter stating that our claim had been allowed, and
they enclosed a receipt in full for November's rent.

Nobody believed us when we told them