"Oh, I say, what a jolly room," exclaimed Reginald Carlton, looking about
him with interest.

"Isn't it?" agreed Billie. "Papa says that if people would only stick to
Japanese notions of decoration and add a few comfortable chairs to sit
in, they would never make any mistakes. You see, there's only one picture
in this room, but that's considered very fine. It's by a famous Japanese
artist."

"I like that one-picture idea," put in Nicholas Grimm, "especially if it
is at a comfortable elevation. Just pull up an easy chair and raise your
eyes and you have seen all there is to see. There's a delightful
simplicity about that to me. But I suppose Yoritomo would call this room
crowded, nevertheless. How about it, old man? It wouldn't take you
fifteen minutes to pull down the curtains and roll up the rug and store
them in the 'go-down.' Would it, now, honor bright?"

"No, no. I like the European furnishings," protested the Japanese. "You
must remember that I lived in America for many years. There is only one
thing I would store in the 'go-down,' and that is the little safe."

He pointed to a small American fire-proof safe in a corner of the room.

"But that is our 'go-down,'" laughed Billie. "We haven't any other. When
Papa first came here he discovered that there was no place to lock up
anything except some desk drawers, and he rented this little safe for his
papers. A Japanese gentleman advised him to do it. He told Papa there was
a great deal of curiosity here about the private business of foreigners."