"I anticipate unpleasantness from my past experience with you," said the Angel, "and that is every cent you will get from me for November rent." "Then we shall sue you, Mr. Jardine. Doubtless you would be embarrassed to be sued for twenty-seven dollars." "It wouldn't embarrass me to be sued for twenty-seven cents," said Aubrey, cheerfully, for he always expands in good nature when the other man shows signs of temper. "Do you expect us to sue?" asked the astonished agent. "Here is my defence," said Aubrey, pleasantly, drawing a bundle of law papers from his pocket. "My partner and I have been at work on this case for a fortnight." Jepson sat down again suddenly and unwound his neck-scarf. The Angel does look gentle. "I didn't think--" he began and stopped, but Aubrey helped him out. "You didn't think several things, Mr. Jepson. You didn't think I meant it when I said I must have heat. You didn't think I meant it when I wrote you that I would go to a hotel if you didn't give it to me. You didn't think I would resent your paying no attention to our requests about cleaning the halls. You didn't think I intended to live in this apartment to suit my own comfort and convenience and not yours. You didn't think I could force you to live up to the terms of our lease, which says 'heat when necessary.' But I intend to give you an opportunity right now to change your mind about several things." Jepson dropped his hat on the floor and fumbled for it. "I'll take the matter up with the president of our company," he said. "Do," said Aubrey, cordially. The next morning while Aubrey was down-town the president of the real estate company called. "Now, Mrs. Jardine," he said, "I just thought I would drop in while your husband was away to discuss this little difficulty in a friendly way and see if you and I couldn't come to some arrangement by which both parties will be satisfied." "Yes?" I said. "You see, Mrs. Jardine, you as a lady will realize that your husband took a very high-handed way,--in fact, I may say it was the most high-handed proceeding I have ever heard of in all my business career." "Yes? I suppose it must have astonished you as much as it amazed us to discover that we were to be heated by date instead of by temperature." "Er--er well! Of course, you didn't know, but you must understand that that rule obtains among all agents in New York." "So we heard," I said, indifferently. "You know that?" "Oh, certainly." "Did you know what method Mr. Jardine was about to pursue to force us to heat your apartment before any one else asked for heat?" "I suggested it to him," I said, gently. "You sug--Well, of course. Hum! I see." "And as for none of the other tenants wanting heat, every family in the house asked for it. The lady on the third floor has a five-weeks-old baby, and, as you know, there are no gas-logs in any of the bedrooms."