"You may," he said, "when I get to be one of your stars."

"Oh, really? Why defer mere thanks _indefinitely_?"

"It won't be indefinitely, and besides, thanks will keep--and breakfast
won't."

He entered the house, with Beth and her maid humbly trailing at his
heels. Mrs. Dick came bustling from the kitchen like a busy little
ant. Van introduced his charges briefly. Mrs. Dick shook hands with
them both.

"Well!" she said, "I like you after all! And it's lucky I do, for if I
didn't I don't know's I should take you or not, even if Van did say I
had to."

Van took her by the shoulders and shook her boyishly.

"You'd take a stick of dynamite and a house afire, both in one hand, if
I said so," he announced. "Now don't get hostile."

"Well--I s'pose I would," agreed Mrs. Dick. She added to Beth: "Ain't
he the dickens and all? Just regular brute strength. Come right
upstairs till I show you where you're put. I've turned off two men to
let you have the best room in the house."

Beth had to smile. She had never felt so helpless in her life--or so
amused. She followed Mrs. Dick obediently, finding the two-bed room
above to be a bright, new-smelling apartment of acceptable size and
situation. In answer to a score of rapid-fire questions on the part of