"What is it like? How many rooms? Where is it?" she inquired, all
in one breath.

Where was the blamed thing? What did it look like? How did I
know? She could search me. I could feel my ears getting red.
Presently I braced and mumbled, "No more details till the castle is
completed, then I'll coax you out there and let you revel."

"How soon will that be?" she asked, "To-morrow? Yes, John,
to-morrow?"

"No," I whispered croupily, "in--in about a week."

I wanted time to arrange my earthly affairs.

"Oh! lovely!" she said, and kissing me rushed away to break the
news to mother.

I felt like a rain check after the sun comes out.

Suddenly Hope tugged at my heart strings and I remembered that I
had a week in which to beat the ponies to a pulp and win out enough
coin to buy six Swiss Cheese cottages in the country.

Day after day I waded in among the jelly fish at the track but the
best I ever got was an $8 win.

Eight dollars wouldn't buy a dog house.

I was desperate. Every evening I had to sit around and listen