Carmel studied these works of art briefly and then climbed the uncarpeted stairs. Each step bore upon its tread a printed cardboard sign informative of some business or profession carried on in the rooms above, such as Jenkins & Hopper, Fire Insurance; Warren P. Bauer, D.D.S., and the like. The first door at the top, curtained within, was labeled Photographic Studio, and this Carmel entered with some trepidation, for it was her first business call. As the door swung inward a bell sounded in the distance. Carmel stood waiting. Almost instantly a youngish man appeared from behind a screen depicting a grayish-blue forest practically lost to view in a dense fog. At sight of Carmel he halted abruptly and altered his bearing and expression to one of elegant hospitality. He settled his vest cautiously, and passed his hand over his sleek hair daintily to reassure himself of its perfect sleekness. Then he bowed. “A-aa-ah.... Good morning!” he said, tentatively. “Mr. Bangs?” “The same.” “I am Miss Lee, proprietor of the _Free Press_.” “Pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Lee, though, of course, I knew who you were right off. I guess everybody in town does,” he added. “We don’t have many move here that would photograph as well as you would--bust or full length.... What kin I do for you?” “I came to talk to you about advertising in the _Free Press_.” “Advertising!” Manifestly he was taken aback. “Why, I haven’t ever advertised. Haven’t anythin’ to advertise. I just take pictures.” “Couldn’t you advertise that?” “Why--everybody knows I take pictures. Be kind of funny to tell folks what everybody knows.” He laughed at the humor of it in a very genteel way. “You would like to take more pictures than you do, wouldn’t you? To attract more business.” “Can’t be done.” “Why?” “Wa-al, folks don’t get their pictures taken like they buy flour. Uh-uh!... They got to have a reason to have ’em taken--like a weddin’, or an engagement, or gettin’ to be sixty year old, or suthin’ sim’lar. No. Folks in Gibeon don’t just go off and get photographed on the spur of the moment, like you might say. They hain’t got any _reason_ to.” “There are lots of people here who have never been photographed, aren’t there?” “Snags of ’em.” “Then why not induce them to do it at once?” “Can’t be done, no more’n you can induce a man to have a weddin’ anniversary when he hain’t got one.” “I believe it could. I think we could put the idea into their heads and then offer them inducements to do it right off.” He shook his head stubbornly and glanced down at the crease in his trousers. Carmel’s eyes twinkled as she regarded him, for he was quite the dressiest person she had seen in Gibeon. He was painstakingly dressed, laboriously dressed. He was so much dressed that you became aware of his clothes before you became aware of him. “Mr. Bangs,” she said, “you look to me like a man who is up to the minute--like a man who would never let a chance slip past him.”