"Master Frederick!" exclaimed the man.

"See that the cabbie -- hic -- is paid," was the other's
response; and he linked his arm in Jurgis's. Jurgis was
about to say, "I have the money for him," but he restrained
himself. The stout man in uniform signaled to the other,
who went out to the cab, while he followed Jurgis and his
young master.

They went down the great hall, and then turned. Be~
fore them were two huge doors.

"Hamilton," said Master Freddie.

"Well, sir?" said the other.

"Whuzzamatter wizze dinin'-room doors?"

"Nothing is the matter, sir."

"Then why dontcha openum?"

The man rolled them back; another vista lost itself in
the darkness. "Lights," commanded Master Freddie; and
the butler pressed a button, and a flood of brilliant in~
candescence streamed from above, half-blinding Jurgis.
He stared; and little by little he made out the great
apartment, with a domed ceiling from which the light
poured, and walls that were one enormous painting --
nymphs and dryads dancing in a flower-strewn glade --
Diana with her hounds and horses, dashing headlong
through a mountain streamlet -- a group of maidens bath~
ing in a forest-pool -- all life-size, and so real that Jurgis
thought that it was some work of enchantment, that he
was in a dream-palace. Then his eye passed to the long
table in the center of the hall, a table black as ebony, and
gleaming with wrought silver and gold. In the center of
it was a huge carven bowl, with the glistening gleam of
ferns and the red and purple of rare orchids, glowing from
a light hidden somewhere in their midst.

"This's the dinin'-room," observed Master Freddie.
"How you like it, hey, ole sport?"

He always insisted on having an answer to his remarks,
leaning over Jurgis and smiling into his face. Jurgis
liked it.

"Rummy ole place to feed in all 'lone, though," was
Freddie's comment -- "rummy's hell! Whuzya think,

[[284]]

p283 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p284w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p285

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