"I suppose," said Mary after a while, "that this is the last really peaceful day we'll have for a long time. To-morrow the place will be full of strange, critical faces. And it will be one long wrestle to make everything go smoothly all the time."
She sighed.
"There are only two ways to success," said Langham. "One is across the wrestling-mat, and one is through the pasture of old Bull Luck. But I'm convinced that The Inn is going to pay very handsomely. There is a fortune in it."
"There mightn't be," said Mary, "if—" and she broke into a peal of embarrassed laughter.
"If what?"
"I was thinking of that dreadful picture."
"I often think of it," said Mr. Langham, "and of the first time I saw it."
Mary gave him a somewhat shy look.
"Of course it didn't influence you," she said.