leather-bound book, at which she scarcely glanced, but upon which
Virginia seized.

"The Candy Man has one like this," she said. "Such a funny name! See?
Only his is Vol. one and this is Vol. two."

Miss Bentley cared not at all what strange books the Candy Man owned,
and said so, frowning so severely you could scarcely have believed her
to be the same person who only a few minutes later was thanking the
Miser with such alluring grace of manner.

She was welcome to come when she chose, she was assured, with grave
politeness. His library was at her disposal.

"You have many beautiful things," said Margaret Elizabeth. "This
portrait above the mantel, for instance, seems to me very interesting."

The portrait in question was rather a splendid one of a military-looking
man probably in his thirties. One of the best examples of Jouett's work
it was generally considered, Mr. Knight explained, and said to have been
an admirable likeness of his uncle, General Waite, at the time it was
painted.

It was inexplicable that as Margaret Elizabeth gazed up at the general
the eyes beneath the stern brows should become the eyes of the Candy
Man. But her exasperation at this absurd illusion passed quickly into
horrified embarrassment, when Virginia, edging toward the master of the
house, asked explosively, "Say, have you really got a room full of
gold?"