“Sell out?” echoed Tramlay. “It’s just the time to hold on to it. I don’t know of anything, anywhere, that’s making a respectable fraction of the profit that there is in our little company, when the smallness of the investment is considered. I believe, too, we could make twice as much if there was some one who knew buyers well enough to charge appropriate prices. We’ve been selling at set figures, regardless of what some people might be persuaded to pay; prices of such property may as well be fancy, you know, for those who want it will have it at any price. But we’ve nobody to give proper attention to it: Phil’s time is so fully occupied----” “On account of----” interpolated Margie, pinching her sister’s arm. “Margie!” said Mrs. Tramlay, severely. “He is so very busy----” resumed Tramlay. “Being papa’s partner,” said Margie. “Have you seen the new sign ‘Tramlay and Hayn’ yet? Lu goes down town every day in our carriage, and I don’t believe it’s for anything but to look at that sign----Oh, mamma, you hurt me cruelly then.” “Well,” said Tramlay, “if I may be permitted to finish a sentence, I’d like to say that if you’ve an hour or two a day of spare time on your hands you could do a first-rate thing for the company, as well as yourself, by keeping an eye on this property. There’s so much in it that I’ve had half a mind to devote myself to it and leave Phil to attend to iron; there’s----” “For Phil can do it,” said Margie. “You must have heard of his great Lake and Gulfside order: everybody said it was the greatest----” “Margie,” said Mrs. Tramlay, in ill-disguised anger, “go to your room, at once. Your father shall be allowed to talk without interruption.” “Thank you, my dear,” said Tramlay. “As I was saying, Marge, there’s no easier way to make that property bring twice as much money than for you, with your knowledge of who is who in New York, to give some personal attention to it.” “Thanks for the suggestion,” said Marge. “I’ll think about it. At present, however, I think I’ll say good-by and seek some rest. I merely dropped in for a moment, to pay my respects.” “Lu,” shouted Margie from the head of the stairs, as Marge was donning his light overcoat in the hall, “don’t let Mr. Marge go until you show him that cunning little lovers’-nook on the plan of the house-front.” Mrs. Tramlay hurried to the hall and pressed Marge’s hand: he looked down an instant, whispered, “Thank you,” and departed. CHAPTER XXVIII. “AND E’EN THE FATES WERE SMILING.” “Well, Lou Ann,” said farmer Hayn one morning when the month of May had reached that stage when farmers forget their coats except on Sundays, “it’ll seem ’most like takin’ boarders again to have such a big crowd of city folks in the house, won’t it?” “Not quite as bad as that,” said Mrs. Hayn, carefully moving an iron over one of the caps which she reserved for grand occasions. “Only Mr. and Mrs. Tramlay an’ the two gals.”