our walk.

As we reached the Shore Lane he paused again, and I thought he was about
to speak. He did not, however, and we crossed the boundary line of my
property and entered the Colton grounds. As we drew nearer to the house
I was surprised to see how large it was. When the Atwaters owned it
I was an occasional caller there, for old Major Atwater was fond of
shooting and sometimes borrowed my decoys. But, since it changed hands,
I had not been nearer to it than the Lane. With the new wing and the
other additions it was enormous. It fairly reeked of money, though, so
far as I was a judge, the taste shown in rebuilding and decorating was
good. We turned the corner, where Asa Peters, the head carpenter, came
hurrying up. Asa looked surprised enough to see me in company with his
employer and regarded me wonderingly. "Mr. Colton," he said, "I wanted
to ask you about them skylights." I stepped back out of hearing, but I
inferred from Colton's actions that the question was another one of the
"unnecessary" ones he had so scornfully referred to in the boathouse.

"Jackass!" he exclaimed, as he rejoined me. I judged he was classifying
Asa, but, if so, he did not trouble to lower his voice. "Come on,
Paine," he added, and we passed a long line of windows, hung with costly
curtains, and stepped up on a handsome Colonial portico before two big
doors.

The doors were opened by an imposing personage in dark blue and brass
buttons, who bowed profoundly before Colton and regarded me with
condescending superiority. This personage, whom I recognized, from
Alvin's description, as the "minister-lookin'" butler, led us through
a hall about as large as our sitting-room, dining-room and kitchen
combined, but bearing no other resemblance to these apartments, and