"I'm quite sorry that ," she replied "But to excuse me kept very busy with arranging our apartments "

Ralph sprang feet with ludicrous expression

"Not the second floor front suite ! " he exclaimed

"Oh, no ! Not at all," she reassured him

He laughed lightly

"Honors are about even game,"

"Evelyn," called her mother hall "Please come and take those front suite curtains down barn "

"Pardon me while we next trick," remarked Evelyn with laugh quite as light and gleeful as his own, and disappeared hall

He followed her slowly, and was met door by her father

" the younger Mr Ellsworth, I believe," politely said Mr Van Kamp

"Ralph Ellsworth Yes, sir "

" note for your father unsealed quite at liberty to read it "

Mr Van Kamp bowed himself away, and Ralph opened the note, which read:

EDWARD EASTMAN ELLSWORTH, ESQ ,

: to notify you that rented the entire furniture Tutt House ensuing week, and am compelled to assume possession three second floor front rooms, as all the balance not in actual use and Mrs Tutt driver stage quite welcome, however, use furnishings small room over the kitchen Your luggage undisturbed Regretting any inconvenience transaction may cause you, I remain,

Yours respectfully,

J BELMONT VAN KAMP

Ralph scratched his head in amused perplexity It devolved upon him to even up the affair little before his mother came back support the family reputation for resourcefulness, but it took quite bit of scalp irritation before he aggravated the right idea into being idea came, he went in and made hide-bound bargain with Uncle Billy, then he went out hall and waited until Evelyn came down with huge armload of window curtains

"Honors are still even," he remarked " just bought all the edibles place, whether cellar, the house or any surrounding structures, ground, above the ground, dead or alive, and bargain's bargain as between man and man "

"Clever of you, I'm sure," commented Miss Van Kamp, reflectively Suddenly her lips parted with smile that revealed double row of most beautiful teeth He meditatively watched the curve of her lips

"Isn't that rather heavy load ? " he suggested "I'd be delighted to move the things, don't "

" quite kind of you, and what the men would call 'game,' I believe, under the circumstances," she answered, "but really necessary hired Mr Tutt driver heavier part work, rest of really pleasant diversion "

" ," agreed Ralph, with an appreciative grin " , you don't happen Maud and Dorothy Partridge, of Baltimore, ? Stunning pretty girls, both , and no end of swells "

" so very few people in Baltimore," she murmured, and tripped on down barn

Ralph went out porch and smoked nothing else that do

VIII

growing dusk elder Ellsworths returned, almost hidden by great masses of autumn boughs

"You , Ralph," enthusiastically said his mother "I never saw such gorgeous tints in all my life brought nearly the entire woods "

" good idea," said Ralph "A stunning good idea come in handy to sleep on "

Mrs Ellsworth turned cold

"What ? " she gasped

"Ralph," sternly demanded his father, "you don't mean us that you let the Van Kamps jockey us out rooms after all ? "

"Indeed, no," he airily responded "Just come right on up "

He led the way suite and struck match One solitary candle left mantel shelf Ralph thought overlooked, but his mother afterwards set him right Mrs Van Kamp had cleverly left it so Ellsworths how dreadfully bare the place was One candle in three rooms is drearier than darkness anyhow

Mrs Ellsworth took in all the desolation, the dismal expanse now enormous apartments, the shabby walls, the hideous bright spots where pictures had hung, the splintered flooring, the great, gaunt windows--and she gave in She had met with snub after snub, and cut after cut, in her social climb, she had had the cook quit middle of an important dinner, she had had every disconcerting thing possible happen to her, but this-- the last bale of straw She sat down on suitcase, middle biggest room, and cried !

Ralph, having waited , now told food transaction, and she hastily pushed the last-coming tear back into her eye

"Good ! " she cried " up here soon compelled to compromise, and not find me with red eyes "

She cast hasty glance around the room, then, in sudden panic, seized the candle and explored the other two She went wildly out hall, back little room over the kitchen, downstairs, everywhere, and returned in consternation

"There's not single mirror left house ! " she moaned

Ralph heartlessly grinned appreciate was characteristic woman trick, and wondered admiringly whether Evelyn or her mother had thought of it However, time for action

"I'll get you some water to bathe your eyes," he offered, and ran little room over the kitchen pitcher cracked shaving-mug only vessel that left, but he hurried down yard with it no time for fastidiousness

He had barely creaked the pump handle when Mr Van Kamp hurried up barn

"I beg your pardon, sir," said Mr Van Kamp, "but this water belongs My daughter bought it, all ground, above the ground, or fall sky upon these premises "

IX

The mutual siege lasted until after seven o'clock, but rather one-sided The Van Kamps could drink all the water they liked, it made them no hungrier Ellsworths ate anything, however, they grew thirstier, and, moreover, water was necessary if anything worth while was cooked They knew all this, and resisted until Mrs Ellsworth was tempted and fell She ate sandwich and choked heartbreaking, but Ralph had sent down with plate of sandwiches and an offer to trade them for water

Halfway pump house he met Evelyn coming with small pail precious fluid They both stopped stock still; then, seeing too late to retreat, both laughed and advanced

"Who wins now ? " bantered Ralph made the exchange

"It looks like misdeal," she gaily replied, and was moving away when her back

"You don't happen the Gately's, of New York, ? " quite anxious

" truly sorry, but acquainted with so few people in New York from Chicago, "

"Oh," said he blankly, and took the water Ellsworth suite

Mrs Ellsworth cheered up considerably when she heard that Ralph met halfway, but her eyes snapped when he confessed Miss Van Kamp who had met him

" going to carry on flirtation overdressed creature," she blazed

"Why mother," exclaimed Ralph, shocked beyond measure "What right to accuse either this young lady or myself of flirting ? Flirting ! "

Mrs Ellsworth suddenly attacked the fire with quite unnecessary energy

X

Down barn, the wide threshing floor covered with gay rag-rugs, and strewn with tables, couches, and chairs in picturesque profusion Roomy box-stalls carpeted deep with clean straw, curtained off with gaudy bed-quilts, and converted into cozy sleeping apartments The mow stalls screened off with lace curtains and blazing counterpanes, whole effect was one of Oriental luxury and splendor Alas, only an "effect" ! The red-hot parlor stove smoked abominably, the pipe carried other smoke out hawmow window, only to let it blow back again Chill cross-draughts whistled in from cracks too numerous stopped up, miserable Van Kamps could only cough and shiver, and envy the Tutts driver, non-combatants who fed two hours before

Up second floor suite roaring fire big fireplace, but chill room that no mere fire could drive away--the chill of absolute emptiness

man can outlive hardships kill woman, but woman can endure discomforts drive man crazy

Mr Ellsworth went out to hunt up Uncle Billy, with an especial solace in mind The landlord was not house, but the yellow gleam of lantern revealed his presence woodshed, and Mr Ellsworth stepped in upon him just as pouring something yellow and clear into tumbler from big jug that he had just taken from under the flooring