“Have you found one?”

She hesitated.

“Yes—­I have found one.  It belongs to some people named Farnham—­they’re divorced.”

“Dicky Farnham’s ex-wife,” he supplied.  “I know where it is —­unexceptionable neighbourhood and all that sort of thing.”

“And it’s just finished,” continued Honora, her enthusiasm gaining on her as she spoke of the object which had possessed her mind for four hours.  “It’s the most enchanting house, and so sunny for New York.  If I had built it myself it could not have suited me better.  Only—­”

“Only—­” repeated Trixton Brent, smiling.

“Well,” she said slowly, “I really oughtn’t to talk about it.  I—­I haven’t said anything to Howard yet, and he may not like it.  I ran across it by the merest accident.”

“What will you give me,” he said, “if I can induce Howard to like it?”

“My eternal friendship,” she laughed.

“That’s not enough,” said Trixton Brent.

CHAPTER IX

INTRODUCING A REVOLUTIONIZING VEHICLE

“Howard,” said Honora that evening, “I’ve been going through houses to-day.”

“Houses!” he exclaimed, looking up from his newspaper.

“And I’ve been most fortunate,” she continued.  “I found one that Mrs. Farnham built—­she is now Mrs. Rindge.  It is just finished, and so attractive.  If I’d looked until doomsday I couldn’t have done any better.”

“But great Scott!” he ejaculated, “what put the notion of a town house into your head?”

“Isn’t it high time to be thinking of the winter?” she asked.  “It’s nearly the end of September.”

He was inarticulate for a few moments, in an evident desperate attempt to rally his forces to meet such an unforeseen attack.

“Who said anything about going to town?” he inquired.

“Now, Howard, don’t be foolish,” she replied.  “Surely you didn’t expect to stay in Quicksands all winter?”

“Foolish!” he repeated, and added inconsequently, “why not?”

“Because,” said Honora, calmly, “I have a life to lead as well as you.”

“But you weren’t satisfied until you got to Quicksands, and now you want to leave it.”

“I didn’t bargain to stay here in the winter,” she declared.  “You know very well that if you were unfortunate it would be different.  But you’re quite prosperous.”

“How do you know?” he demanded unguardedly.

“Quicksands tells me,” she said.  “It is—­a little humiliating not to have more of your confidence, and to hear such things from outsiders.”

“You never seemed interested in business matters,” he answered uneasily.