"That's mighty good--twenty dollars a week. But, Mrs. Cook,"--again
with his open, engaging smile,--"pardon me for not knowing your proper
name,--could I induce you to enter my employment--at, say, twenty
dollars a minute?"

"What--what--"

"For only a limited period," continued the young gentleman--"to
be exact, say one minute. Light work," he added with a certain
whimsicality, "short hours, seven days out--unusual opportunity."

"But what--what am I to do?" gasped the cook, and before she could
gasp again one surprised black glove was clutching two ten-dollar
bills.

"Arrange for me to see Miss Gardner--alone. It's all right. She and I
are old friends."

"But--but how?" helplessly inquired this mistress of all
non-intrigantes.

"Isn't there some room where nobody will come in?"

"The library might be best, sir," pointing up the stairway at a door.

"The library, then! And arrange matters so that no one will know we're
meeting."

"But, sir, I don't see how--"