The Washington herald., 1914-11-15

the French chateaus and English coun-
try houses that were rising near West
bury, Hampstead, and Roslyn; and II
was Cochran's duty to drive over that
territory in his runabout, keep an eye
on the contractors, and dissuade cli-
ents from grating mansard roofs on
| Italian, villas He had built the sum-
mer home of the Herbert Nelson's, and
| Herbert and Charles were very warm
friends Charles was of the same lack
of years as was Herbert, of an enthu-
siastic and sentimental nature; and, like
many other young men, the story of
| his life also was the lovely and much
| desired Aline Proctor. Il was this
coincidence that had made them friends
and that had led Herbert to select
! Charles as the custodian of his treas
ure As a custodian and conhdant
Charles especially appealed to his new
| friend because, except upon the stage
and in restaurants, Charles had never
seen Aline Proctor, did not know her
and considered her so far above him,
so unattainable, that he had no wish to
seek her out. Unknown, he preferred
to worship at a distance. In this deter
mination Herbert strongly encouraged
him.
When he turned over the pictures to
Charles, Herbert could not resist show
ing them to him. They were in many
queen OF musical comedy in several
new roles. In one she was in a sailor
suit, giving an imitation of a girl pad
ding a canoe In another she was in
a riding habit mounted upon a pony OF
which she seemed very much afraid.
In some she sat like a siren among the
rocks with the waves and seaweed
snatChing at her feet. and in another
she crouched beneath the wheel OF
Herbert's touring car All OF the
photographs were unprofessional and
intimate. and the egends scrawled
across them were even more intimate.
"'As long as this rock lasts = read
Herbert. At arms length he held the
picture for Cochran to see. and laughed
bitterly and unmirthfully as he had
heard leading men laugh in problem
plays
Chester Griswold, spurred on by
Aline Proctor. who wanted to build a
summer home on Long Island, was mo-
toring with Post. of Post & Constant,
in the neighborhood of Westbury. Post
had pointed out several houses de-
signed by his firm. which he hoped
might assist GriSwold in making up his
mind as to the kind OF house he want
ed but none they had seen seemed to
satisfy his client.
What | want is cheap house" ex-
planned the Young millionaire 81 don't
really want a house at all he COM
planned. Its Miss Proctor's idea
When we are married | intend to move
into my mothers town house, but Miss
Proctor wants one Tor herself in the
country. I've agreed to that; but ii
must be small and it must be cheap.
Cheap was a word that the clients
OF Post & Constant never used; but
Post knew the weaknesses of some of
the truly rich, and he knew also that
no house ever built cost only what the
architect said it would cost
Il know the very house you want"
he exclaimed. One of our young men
owns ii. He made it over from an old
farmhouse It's very well arranged
we've used his ground-plan several
times and it works out splendidly. If
he's not at home. I'll show you over the
place myself. And if YOU like the
house he's the man to build you one
When they reached Cochran'S home
he was at Garden City playing golf. but !
the servant Anew Mr. Post. and to /
him and his client threw open every |
room in the hose.
Now. this" exclaimed the architect !
enthusia> >tic1lly, is the masters bed
room. In yoG' case it would probably !
be your wifeS room and you would |
occupy the one adjoining, which Coch-
rainbow uses as a gueStroon. As you
see. they arc entirely cut off from"
Mr.. Griswold did not see Up to that
moment he had given every appearance
OF being both bored and sulky. Now
his attention was entirely engaged-but
not upon the admirable simplicity OF
Mr. Cochran's ground plan, as Mr.. Post
had hoped Instead, the eyes of the
greatest catch in America were in
tently regarding a display of photo
graphs that smiled back at him from
every corner of the room. Not only
did he regard these photographs with
a savage glare, but he approached them
and carefully studied the inscriptions
scrawled across the face OF each.
Post himself cast a glance at the
nearest photographs, and then hastily
his client into. the hall and
closed the door.
I'VE will now," he exclaimed, visit
the buffers kitchen. thus saving
But Griswold did not hear him
Without giving another glance at the
house he stamped out of it and, plump
ng himself down in the motor car,
BANGED the door. Not until Post had
driven him we'll into New York did he
make any comment.
What did you say he then demand
ID, 'is the name of the man who owns
hat last house we saw:
Post told him II
Il never heard of him. said Girls
void as though he were delivering {
,oung Cochran's death sentence.
When Griswold had first persuaded I
Aline Proctor to engage herself to him
le had suggested that, to avoid embar- |
.assment, she should tell him the names
If the other men to whom she had been ,
IN
%What kind of embarrassment would /
hat avoid?"
"If | am talking to man. said Girls
void. "and he knows the woman I'm $
,oing to marry was engaged to him and t
don't know that, he has me at a dis Z
Idvantage' &
81 don't see that he has" said Aline.
If we suppose, for the sake of argu- '
nent, that to marry me is desirable, !
would say that the man who was going s