Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-15
CHAPTER XVII.

comfort TO the nearl.
las between good pals!
CHAPTER XVII.
The Marquee sale had proved a dire
fiasco-nearly five hundred pounds spent.
and absolutely no result. For a week or
two Crunden suffered from depression Of
spirits was silent and thoughtful at
meals, absent minded and gloomy in the
yard Then he reused himself and began
to take energetic action. One day he told
| Bowling that he had determined to start
building four decoy houses at once. 1t
had been originally intended to start with
| two decoys, but he now decided that he
must double the number. Dowling's plans
were all ready: the houses would be or
| the very latest style-quaint yet hano-
some, tricky and startling in exterior
design, but most comfortable and con-
venient inside. There would be fantastc
porches, green tiles. bottle glass haii
doors of unvarnished oak studded win
nails and spikes; there would be shower
baths. electric bells, patches through
which the food could slide into the dining
room instead of troubling the servants to
carry II from the kitchen; there would
be run-moldings from America. archi-
traves. skirtings and chair rails from
sweden-in a word, they would be decoys
so attra ctive that they could scarce lall
to lure the shy birds. Builders are IKE
the birds In this. that they like TO oegin
building about Valentines day. ana
Crunden wanted to get ms houses VIII W1i,
Bowling he carefully selected the best
strategic sites-two on the outside. one
at the top of his new roads, and one still
higher. beyond all roads. close 70 WHERE
| the clubhouse used to stand This 1ar-
thest house would be a bold decoy, and
would appear inaccessible unit! success
smade it worth ones while to bring the
roads up to It,
One must be bold when hesitation and
and Suburban Land Trust were now CIV
ing attention to their Hill House estate.
Their boards were up and words on the
boards showed clearly what redouotabie
neighbors and rivals this company would
be- Money advanced on easy terms =
that was the company's large-lettered
age-"Three-quarters of purchase
may be left at low rate of interest.
Mr.. Parrot in conversation with Crun-
den. quoted this announcement TWO Gays
| after the companys boards were first
seen. Mr. Parrot was the builder from
| Reieate who had taken six plots. and
thereon was to build three more rows OF
! cottages. H had signed his agreement,
hut he had done nothing further: ne was.
| he, said. finishing his Retgate jobs-must
finish there before he could begin here.
II hope" said Crunden sternly. II
haven't got hold of a man of straw"
"Oh, no. sad Parrot. Indignantly:
Nothing Of the sort But I never told
YOU 1 was made of money. And if You
want to be off with the bargain. say so.
and you're welcome. shall only have to
walk up the road to get ground-yes. and
money, too"
| 'Thev won't give you ground Tor cot
tages, Mr.. Parrot"
IT amt particular what I build-espe-
cially when I'm being financed on easy
terms"
Crunden concealed his discomfort. at
fected to be satisfied with Parrots ex-
cuses for dlatoriness. politely expressed
the hope that Parrot would. IKE the birds.
begin to build those snug little nests by
springtime. The conversation had shown
him again how essential it was to be
beforehand with his rivals. If the COM
pany's boards had been in position earlier
| he would never have secured Parrot
Re enlarged his staff at the yard. He
had intended to work with the smallest
nossible staff. but now he had more than
thirty men on the weekly pav-sheet.
Twelve hands in the joiner's shop. a
plumber and two mates in the plumbers
shop. two masons. three plasterers. three
painters who were also glaciers and
parerhangers. six o. seven bricklayers
with eight or nine laborers shop fore
man at 45 shillings a week. outside fore
man at 50 shillings. not to mention clerk
at 35-with these items to make up the
wages bill Saturdays money needed
working soon with a nearly full yard; he
was builder again quite on the large
scale as in the old days:
But the work itself cheered him. kent
| him in heart and courage. He had al
ways thriven on hard work: anxious wait
! ing and idle delay are what enerpate and
enfeeble body and brain. At home he
was always cheerful now. EVERYTHING.
he told Lizzie. was going on smoothly and
| prosperously. Neither she nor his clerk
need ever worry their heads as to the ul-
innate success Of the great scheme. You
must sow before you can reap. The
| money was pouring out, but II would
come rolling home again. All that con-
was entirely Mr.. Crunden's affair: as to
that side of it he made no confdants, he
REQUIRED no advice.
Thus as the weeks ard months passed
| life at Kings Cottage settled down into a
steadv routine; without excitement. with
out holidays. with nothing but healthy
toll for everybody, the time once more
glided fast.
sent Mr.. Jack to Coventry. kept him in
that town of silence for many weeks. But
at last she allowed him to understand
that his offense had been hardened. If
papa cOulu overlook and forget IL was
not for her to be unforgiving Papa. she
thought sadly. was more gentle with Jack
than he had been with Dick. She seemed
nervous and apprehensive when again
Jack was hidden to supper: she hardly
dared to raise her eyes and look at the
visitor when Mrs. Price announced his
arrival. But on this occasion Mr.. Jack
was quite at his best-at his very hest
and. with Mr.. Bowling as a sprightly
second guest. the evening was of the
pleasantest No business was talked 1t
was lust a friendly supper party.
Jack, however detected the misgivings
of his hostess. and pleaded with Mrs.
Price to obtain for him more complete
oblivion of the past.
"Prlcey. do tell Miss Lizzie that she
reedn't he afraid. Do. for goodness
sake. tell her that Champagne Day will
never come again..
81 hope 1t never WILL" said Mrs. Price
severely.
To Lizzie not the least painful thing
about Champagne dav had been the ne
cessity to speak OF It to Lady Vincent.
In these months Lady Vincent had paid
! further calls on Mis- Crunden and had
/ written once or twice. Jacks mamma
! was grateful to Miss Crunden for at
tempting to exert her coed influence. and
begged her to continue the exertion.
| "He told me-" said Lady Vincent, THAT