During this question and answer Mr. Corbett was also calculating. "About seven thousand if Adelaide makes the Hawtry layout," he finally announced. "Five hundred advance for the sketches, and a week's option," Mr. Vandeford offered calmly. "A thousand advance for models of costumes made up," answered Mr. Corbett, just as calmly and firmly. "Have to hunt in museum for materials to go by. Takes experts on fabrics." "I can give you pieces of silk and things that are cut from the costumes of that period." Miss Adair had learned, and she cut her remark into the conference with precision and decision. "Genuine?" questioned Mr. Corbett. "Worn by the characters about whom the play is written." "Then seven hundred and fifty for made-up models, Mr. Vandeford," Mr. Corbett offered. "The pieces will be large enough to make the models," Miss Adair said with a curt firmness that was a combination of that used by both Mr. Vandeford and Mr. Corbett and which both startled and delighted the former. "Six hundred for models, Corbett," he said with finality and with an inward chuckle. "Six-fifty, Mr. Vandeford," Mr. Corbett answered with equal finality, and for the first time he stole a glance at the author. "Goes! When?" "Two weeks?" "Goes! Good-morning, Mr. Corbett!" Mr. Corbett's exit was immediate. "I'm glad Miss Elvira made me put all the pieces of my dresses in my trunk to patch with in case I tore anything. They saved us four hundred dollars, didn't they?" Miss Adair said to Mr. Vandeford with gratified business acumen shining in the sea-gray eyes. "I wasn't much in the way, was I?" "You were a great help, and that was the first time I ever succeeded in jewing Corbett," answered Mr. Vandeford with satisfactory enthusiasm. Something of relief over the guarding of his author showed in his voice, which second note, however, he sounded too soon as the next ten minutes proved to him. "Now we'll discuss the sets for the production with Lindenberg and then it'll be time for luncheon, and we'll go--" "Mr. Vandeford, sir, Mr. Height would like to be in next," Mr. Meyers interrupted his chief, just a second too soon, or rather just in time, for if Mr. Vandeford had settled Miss Adair's luncheon plans in that second the fate of "The Purple Slipper" might have been different. "Show him in, Pops, and have the rest come back at two-thirty," Mr. Vandeford commanded. Mr. Gerald Height entered.