elevation and proclaimed so defiantly to all the world its owner's
material prosperity.

But the sight-seers always viewed the "castle" and the "palatial
grounds" (the Millsburgh _Clarion_, in a special Sunday article for
which Adam paid, so described the place) through a strong, ornamental
iron fence, with a more than ornamental gate guarded by massive stone
columns. Only when the visiting strangers were of sufficient importance
in the owner's eyes were they permitted to pass the conspicuous PRIVATE
PROPERTY, NO ADMITTANCE sign at the entrance. As the cigar-stand
philosopher explained, Adam Ward did not propose to give anything away.

The chief value of his possessions, in Adam's thoughts, lay in the fact
that they were _his_. He always said, "_My_ house--_my_ grounds--_my_
flowers--_my_ trees--_my_ fountain--_my_ fence." He even extended his
ownership and spoke of the very birds who dared to ignore the PRIVATE
PROPERTY, No ADMITTANCE sign as _my_ birds. So marked, indeed, was this
characteristic habit of his speech, that no one in Millsburgh would
have been surprised to hear him say, "_My_ sun--_my_ moonlight." And
never did he so forget himself as to include his wife and children in
such an expression as "our home." Why, indeed, should he? His wife and
his children were as much _his_ as any of the other items on the long
list of the personal possessions which he had so industriously
acquired.

In perfect harmony with the principles that ordered his life, the owner
of the castle made great show of hospitality at times. But the
recipients of his effusive welcome were invariably those from whom, or
through whom, he had reason to think he might derive a definite
material gain in return for his graciousness. The chief entertainment