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seeing his daughter as just such a girl as one of thesesimple； wholesome； well…brought…up。 He could not know that Joe； in a way； perceived his daughter in every nice young woman he saw。
Toward evening of the seventh day of her visit； Miss Sherwood returned。 Larry was on the piazza when the car bearing her swept into the white…graveled curve of the drive。 The car was a handsome； powerful roadster。 Larry had started out to be of such assistance as he could； when the figure at the wheel； a man； sprang from the car and helped Miss Sherwood alight。 Larry saw that the man was Huntsuch a different Hunt！and he had begun a quick retreat when Hunt's voice called after him：
〃You therewait a minute！ I want a little chin…chin with you。〃
Larry halted。 He could not help overhearing the few words that passed between Hunt and Miss Sherwood。
〃Thank you ever so much；〃 she said in her even voice。 〃Then you're coming？〃
〃I promised； didn't I？〃
〃Then good…bye。〃
〃Good…bye。〃
They shook hands friendly enough； but rather formally； and Miss Sherwood turned to the house。 Hunt called to Larry：
〃Come here； son。〃
Larry crossed to the big painter who was standing beside the power… bulged hood of his low…swung car。
〃Happened to drop in where she wasbrought her homeaunt following in that hearse with its five…foot cushions she always rides in；〃 Hunt explained。 And then： 〃Well； I suppose you've got to give me the once…over。 Hurry up； and get it done with。〃
Larry obeyed。 Hunt's wild hair had been smartly barbered； he had on a swagger dust…coat； and beneath it flannels of the smartest cut。 Further； he bore himself as if smart clothes and smart cars had always been items of his equipment。
〃Well； young fellow； spill it；〃 he commanded。 〃What do I look like？〃
〃Like Solomon in all his glory。 No； more like the he…dressmaker of the Queen of Sheba。〃
〃I'm going to run you up every telephone post we come to for that insult！ Hop in； son； and we'll take a little voyage around the earth in eighty seconds。〃
Larry got in。 Once out of the drive the car leaped away as though intent upon keeping to Hunt's time…table。 But after a mile or two Hunt quieted the roaring monster to a conversational pace。
〃Get one of the invitations to my show？〃 he asked。
〃Yes。 Several days ago。 That dealer certainly got it up in great shape。〃
〃You must have hypnotized Graham。 That old paint pirate is giving the engine all the gas she'll standand believe me； he's sure getting up a lot of speed。〃 Hunt grinned。 〃That private pre…exhibition show you suggested is proving the best publicity idea Graham ever had in his musty old shop。 Everywhere I go； people are talking about the darned thing。 Every man； woman and child； also unmarried females of both sexes； who got invitations are comingand those who didn't get 'em are trying to bribe the traffic cop at Forty…Second Street to let 'em in。〃
Hunt paused for a chuckle。 〃And I'm having the time of my young life with the people who always thought I couldn't paint； and who are now trying to sidle up to me on the suspicion that possibly after all I can paint。 What's got that bunch buffaloed is the fact that Graham has let it leak out that I'm likely to make bales of money from my painting。 The idea of any one making money out of painting； that's too much for their heads。 Oh； this is the life； Larry！〃
Larry started to congratulate him； but was instantly interrupted with：
〃I admit I'm a painter； and always will admit it。 But this present thing is all your doing。 We'll try to square things sometime。 But I didn't ask you to come along to hear verbostical acrobatics about myself。 I asked you to learn if you'd worked out your plan yet regarding Maggie？ 〃
〃Yes。〃 And Larry proceeded to give the details of his design。
〃Regular psychological stuff！〃 exclaimed Hunt。 And then： 〃Say； you're some stage…manager！ Or rather same playwright！ Playwrights that know tell me it's one of their most difficult tricksto get all their leading characters on the stage at the same time。 And here you've got it all fixed to bring on Miss Sherwood； Dick； Maggie； yourself； and the all…important mefor don't forget I shall be slipping out to Cedar Crest occasionally。〃
〃As for myself；〃 remarked Larry； 〃I shall remain very much behind the scenes。 Maggie'll never see me。〃
〃Well； here's hoping you're good enough playwright to manage your characters so they won't run away from you and mix up an ending you never dreamed of！〃
The car paused again in the drive and Larry got out。
〃I say； Larry；〃 Hunt whispered eagerly； 〃who's that tall； white…haired man working over there among the roses？〃
〃Joe Ellison。 He's that man I told you about my getting to know in Sing Sing。 Remember？〃
〃Oh； yes！ The crook who was having his baby brought up to be a real person。 Say； he's a sure…enough character！ Lordy； but I'd love to paint that face！ 。 。 。 So…long； son。〃
The car swung around the drive and roared away。 Larry mounted to the piazza。 Dick was waiting for him； and excitedly drew him down to one corner that crimson ramblers had woven into a nook for confidences。
〃Captain； old scout；〃 he said in a low； happy voice； 〃I've just told sis。 Put the whole proposition up to her； just as you told me。 She took it like a regular fellow。 Your whole idea was one hundred per cent right。 Sis is inside now getting off that invitation to Miss Cameron； asking her to come out day after to…morrow。〃
Larry involuntarily caught the veranda railing。 〃I hope it works out for the best；〃 he said。
〃Oh； it willno doubt of it！〃 cried the exultant Dick。 〃And； Captain； if it does； it'll be all your doing！〃
CHAPTER XXIII
When Miss Sherwood's invitation reached Maggie； Barney and Old Jimmie were with her。 The pair had growled a lot； though not directly at Maggie； at the seeming lack of progress Maggie had made during the past week。 Barney was a firm enough believer in his rogue's creed of first getting your fish securely hooked； but； on the other hand； there was the danger； if the hooked fish be allowed to remain too long in the water； that it would disastrously shake itself free of the barb and swim away。 That was what Barney was afraid had been happening with Dick Sherwood。 Therefore he was thinking of returning to his abandoned scheme of selling stock to Dick。 He might get Dick's money in that way； though of course not so much money； and of course not so safely。
And another item which for some time had not been pleasing Barney was that Larry Brainard had not yet been finally taken care of； either by the police or by that unofficial force to which he had given orders。 So he had good reason for permitting himself the relaxation of scowling when he was not on public exhibition。
But when Maggie； after reading the invitation； tossed it； together with a note from Dick； across to Barney without comment； the color of his entire world changed for that favorite son of Broadway。 The surly gloom of the end of a profitless enterprise became magically an aurora borealis of superior hopes：no； something infinitely more substantial than any heaven…painting flare of iridescent colors。
〃Maggie； it's the real thing！ At last！〃 he cried。
〃What is it？〃 asked Old Jimmie。
Barney gave him the letter。 Jimmie read it through； then handed it back； slowly shaking his head。
〃I don't see nothing to get excited about；〃 said the ever…doubtful； ever…hesitant Jimmie。 〃It's only an invitation。〃
〃Aw； hell！〃 ejaculated the exasperated Barney in disgust。 〃If some one handed you a government bond all you could see would be a cigar coupon！ That invitation； together with this note from Dick Sherwood saying he'll call and take Maggie out； means that the fish is all ready to be landed。 Try to come back to life； Jimmie。 If you knew anything at all about big…league society； you'd know that sending invitations to meet the familythat's the way these swells do things when they're all set to do business。 We're all ready for the killing the big clean…up！〃
He turned to Maggie。 〃Great stuff； Maggie。 I knew you could put it over。 Of course you're going？〃
〃Of course；〃 replied Maggie with a composure which was wholly of her manner。
A sudden doubt came out of this glory to becloud Barney's master mind。 〃I don't know；〃 he said slowly。 〃It's one proposition to make one of these men swells believe that a woman is the real thing。 And it's another proposition to put it over on one of these women swells。 They've got eyes for every little detail； and they know the difference between the genuine article and an imitation。 I've heard a lot about this Miss Sherwood； they say she's one of the cleverest of the swells。 Think you can walk into her house and put it over on her； Maggie？〃
〃Of coursewhy not？〃 answered Maggie； again with that composure which was prompted by her pride's desire to make Barney； and every one else； believe her equal to any situation。
Barney's animation returned。 〃All right。 If you think you can swing it； you can swing it； and the job's the same as finished and we're made！〃
Left to herself； and the imposing propriety and magnificent stupidity of Miss Grierson； Maggie made no attempt to keep up her appearance of confidence。 All her thoughts were upon this opportunit