We said nothing, but we could see that not one among them all but expected either a lawsuit or that we would be obliged to back down and pay for this foolhardy defiance of the despot out of our own pockets. Each day we went out to the apartment and examined the thermometers and took signed statements as to the degree they registered. We had notified the agent that we would not return until it was sixty-eight Fahrenheit in the bedrooms. On the afternoon of the third day the weather had moderated to such an extent that it was sixty-eight, so I stayed while Aubrey went down to the Waldorf for the bill and our bag. On his return he proudly exhibited a receipted bill for $27. As no reply had been received to our letter and no one had been sent to see us, we felt a truly justifiable pride in the little surprise we had for Jepson when on the first of November the Angel sent a cheque for November rent, less $27, together with the now famous receipted bill. If we felt that we had been ignored by our agent hitherto, we had no cause for complaint after the receipt of that bill and cheque. In fact, as I told Aubrey, Jepson did not have time to use a paper-knife on the envelope,--he must have torn it open with feverish fingers,--for the telephone-bell jingled madly before breakfast when the office "wanted to know the meaning of this," and when the Angel rang off without any reply, poor old Jepson came up to the apartment out of breath. We got plenty of attention after _that_! Jepson was at first quite confident--even patronizing. "Why, don't you know, Mr. Jardine, we can't allow any such absurd thing as this to go on--not for a minute." "Ah," said Aubrey. "What do you propose to do about it?" "I propose to leave this--this--er--bill and cheque with you and collect the full amount of the rent." "I don't envy you the process," said my husband. "Oh, well, I imagine there will be no trouble about it. We know our rights." "Has it ever occurred to you that we might know ours?" said Aubrey. "Yes, certainly. But you know, Mr. Jardine, we are agents for a large number of the best apartment-houses in New York, and we have not given heat to any one so far." "I only live in this one," said Aubrey. "It does not interest me in the least what temperature other of your tenants prefer. I shall have this apartment warm when _I_ think it is cold." "Well, but--I understand how you feel, but--no one ever did such a thing as this before in the whole course of my thirty-five years' experience." "I can quite believe it," said Aubrey, thinking of the people we knew who suffered without a protest. "Then you can imagine my surprise this morning to receive this," said Jepson. "I can quite imagine it," returned my husband, with an irony wasted on Jepson, but delightful to me. "Well," said our visitor, rising, "I hope you will think better of it and send me a cheque for the full amount. It will save unpleasantness."