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Larry decided to manipulate his design through Dick Sherwood。 Late that afternoon； when Dick； just returned from the city； dropped into； as was his before…dinner custom； the office…study which had been set aside for Larry's use； Larry； after an adroit approach to his subject； continued：
〃And since I've been wished on you as a sort of step…uncle； there's something I'd like to suggestif I don't seem to be fairly jimmying my way into your affairs。〃
〃Door's unlocked and wide open； Captain；〃 said Dick。 〃Walk right in and take the best chair。〃
〃Thanks。 Remember telling me about a young woman you recently met？ A Miss MaggieMaggie〃
〃Miss Cameron；〃 Dick prompted。 〃Of course I remember。〃
〃And remember your telling me that this time it's the real thing？〃
〃And it IS the real thing！〃
〃You haven'texcuse measked her to marry you yet？〃
〃No。 I've been trying to get up my nerve。〃
〃Here's where you've got to excuse me once more； Dickit's not my business to tell you what should be your relations with your family but have you told your sister？〃
〃No。〃 Dick hesitated。 〃I suppose I should。 But I hadn't thought of it… …yet。 You see〃 Again Dick hesitated。
〃Yes？〃 prompted Larry。
〃There are her relativesthat cousin and uncle。 I guess it must have been my thinking of them that prevented my thinking of what you suggest。〃
〃But you told me they hadn't interfered much； and never would interfere。〃 Larry gently pressed his point： 〃And look at it from Miss Cameron's angle of view。 If it's the real thing； and you're behaving that way toward her； hasn't she good grounds for thinking it strange that you haven't introduced her to your family？〃
〃By George； you're right； Captain！ I'll see to that at once。〃
〃Of course； Dick；〃 Larry went on； carefully feeling his way； 〃you know much better than I the proper way to do such thingsbut don't you think it would be rather nice； when you tell your sister； that you suggest to her that she invite Miss Cameron out here for a little visit？ If they are to meet； I know Miss Cameron； or any girl； would take it as more of a tribute to be received in your own home than merely to meet in a big commonplace hotel。〃
〃Right again； Captain！ I'd tell Isabel to…night； and ask her to send the invitationonly I'm booked to scoot right back to the city for a little party as soon as I get some things together； and I'll stay overnight in the apartment。 But I'll attend to the thing to…morrow night； sure。〃
〃May I ask just one favor in the meantime？〃
〃One favor？ A dozen； Captain！〃
〃I'll take the other eleven later。 Just now I only ask； since you haven't proposed； that you won'tercommit yourself any further； in any way； with Miss Cameron until after you've told your sister and until after Miss Cameron has been out here。〃
〃Oh； I say now！〃 protested Dick。
〃I am merely suggesting that affairs remain in statu quo until after Miss Cameron's visit with your sister。 That's not asking much of you； Dicknor asking it for a very long time。〃
〃Oh； of course I'll do it； Captain；〃 grumbled Dick affectionately。 〃You've got me where I'll do almost anything you want me to do。〃
But Dick did not speak to his sister the following evening。 The next morning news came to Miss Sherwood of a friend's illness； and she and her novel…reading aunt hurried off at once on what was to prove to be a week's absence。 But this delay in his plan did not worry Larry greatly as it otherwise would have done； for Dick repeated his promise to hold a stiff rein upon himself until after he should have spoken to his sister。 And Larry believed he could rely upon Dick's pledged word。
During this week of waiting and necessary inactivity Larry concentrated upon another phase of his many…sided planto make of himself a business success。 As has been said； he saw his chance of this in the handling of Miss Sherwood's affairs； and saw it particularly in an idea that had begun to grow upon him since he became aware； through statements and letters from the agents turned over to him； of the extent of the Sherwood real…estate holdings and since he had got some glimmering of their condition。 His previous venturings about the city had engendered in him a sense of moderate security； so he now began to make flying trips into New York in the smart roadster Miss Sherwood had placed at his disposal。
On each trip Larry made swift visits to several of the properties； until finally he had covered the entire list Miss Sherwood had furnished him through the agents。 His survey corroborated his surmise。 The property； mostly neglected apartment and tenement houses； was in an almost equally bad way whether one regarded it from the standpoint of sanitation； comfort； or cold financial returns。 The fault for this was due to the fact that the Sherwoods had left the property entirely in the care of the agents； and the agents； being old； old…fashioned； and weary of business to the point of being almost ready to retire； had left the property to itself。
Prompted by these bad conditions； and to some degree by the then critical housing famine； with its records of some thousands of families having no place at all to go and some thousands of families being compelled for the sake of mere shelter to pay two and three times what they could afford for a few poor rooms； and with its records of profiteering landlords； Larry began to make notes for a plan which he intended later to elaboratea plan which he tentatively entitled： 〃Suggestions for the Development of Sherwood Real…Estate Holdings。〃 Larry； knowing from the stubs of Miss Sherwood's checkbook what would be likely to please her； gave as much consideration to Service as to Profit。 The basis of his growing plan was good apartments at fair rentals。 That he saw as the greatest of public services in the present crisis。 But the return upon the investment had to be a reasonable one。 Larry did not believe in Charity； except for extreme cases。 He believed； and his belief had grown out of a wide experience with many kinds of people； that Charity； of course to a smaller extent； was as definitely a source of social evil as the then much…talked…of Profiteering。
In the meantime he was seeing his old friend； Joe Ellison； every day； perhaps smoking with Ellison in his cottage after he had finished his day's work among the roses； perhaps walking along the bluff which hung above the Sound； whose cool； clear waters splashed with vacation laziness upon the shingle。 The two men rarely spoke； and never of the past。 Larry was well acquainted with； and understood； the older man's deep…rooted wish to avoid all talk bearing upon deeds and associates of other days； that was a part of his life and a phase of existence that Joe Ellison was trying to forget； and Larry by his silence deferred to his friend's desire。
On the day after Joe Ellison's visit to the Duchess； Larry had received a note from his grandmother； addressed； of course； to 〃Mr。 Brandon。〃 There was no danger in her writing Larry if she took adequate precautions： mail addressed to Cedar Crest was not bothered by postal and police officials； it was only mail which came to the house of the Duchess which received the attention of these gentlemen。
The note was one which the Duchess； after that night of thought which had so shaken her old heart； had decided to be a necessity if her plan of never telling of her discovery of Maggie's real paternity were to be a success。 The major portion of her note dwelt upon a generality with which Larry already was acquainted： Joe's desire to keep clear of all talk touching upon the deeds and the people of his past。 And then in a careless…seeming last sentence the Duchess packed the carefully calculated substance of her entire note：
〃It may not be very importantbut particularly avoid ever mentioning the mere name of Jimmie Carlisle。 They used to know each other； and their acquaintance is about the bitterest thing Joe Ellison has to remember。〃
Of course he'd never mention Old Jimmie Carlisle； Larry said to himself as he destroyed the notenever guessing； in making this natural response to what seemed a most natural request； that he had become an unconscious partner in the plan of the warm…hearted； scheming Duchess。
There was one detail of Joe Ellison's behavior which aroused Larry's mild curiosity。 Directly beneath one of Joe's gardens； hardly a hundred yards away； was a bit of beach and a pavilion which were used in common by the families from the surrounding estates。 The girls and younger women were just home from schools and colleges； and at high tide were always on the beach。 At this period； whenever he was at Cedar Crest； Larry saw Joe； his work apparently forgotten； gazing fixedly down upon the young figures splashing about the water in their bright bathing…suits or lounging about the pavilion in their smart summer frocks。
This interest made Larry wonder； though to be sure not very seriously。 For he had never a guess of how deep Joe's interest was。 He did not know； could not know； that that tall； fixed figure； with its one absorbing idea； was thinking of his daughter。 He could not know that Joe Ellison； emotionally elated and with a hungry； self…denying affection that reached out toward them all； was seeing his daughter as just such