a flock of naughty pigeons tore by, screaming, "Lizer, Lizer, look out
for the Miser!" If he had been about to make a comment, he thought
better of it, and turned away.

Having identified the Little Red Chimney as the property of the Girl
of All Others, the Candy Man now made a new discovery. He had a room
in one of the old residences of the neighbourhood, so many of which in
these days were being given over to boarding and lodging. Its windows
overlooked a back yard, in which grew a great ash, and he had been
interested to observe how long after other trees were bare this one kept
its foliage. He found it one morning, however, giving up its leaves by
the wholesale, under the touch of a sharp frost; and, wonder of wonders!
through its bared branches that magical chimney came into view, with a
corner of grey roof.

Not far away rose the big smoke stack belonging to the apartment houses,
impressive in its loftiness, but to his fancy the Little Red Chimney
held its own with dignity, standing for something unattainable by great
smoke stacks, however important.

The Candy Man, it will be seen, did not attempt to reconcile conflicting
evidence. He took what suited him and ignored the rest. Was Miss Bentley
the niece of Mrs. Gerrard Pennington? She was also the niece of Uncle
Bob. Did she ride in haughty limousines? She also rode in street cars.
Was she wined and dined by the rich? She also ate muffins and cherry
preserves, and brushed up the hearth of the Little Red Chimney.