He unlocked the door leading to the front.
“That's my den—we'll come back here.”
He passed quickly to the further end of the hall and again used two keys to open the door, and held it back for her to enter.
“I'm sorry it's so dirty—if you get your pretty dress all ruined—it's not my fault, you know.”
Mary surveyed the room with an exclamation of delight.
“Oh, what a wonderful place! Why, Jim, you're a magician!”
There could be no doubt about the practical use to which the shop was being put. Its one small window opened on a fire escape in the narrow court in the rear. A skylight in the middle opened with a hinge on the roof and flooded the space with perfect light. An iron ladder swung from the skylight and was hooked up against the ceiling by a hasp fastened to a staple over a work-bench. On one side of the room was a tiny blacksmith's forge, an anvil, hammers and a complete set of tools for working in rough iron. A small gasoline engine supplied the power which turned his lathe and worked the drills, saw and plane. On the other side of the room was arranged a fairly complete chemical laboratory with several retorts, and an oxyhydrogen blow-pipe capable of developing the powerful heat used in the melting and brazing of metals. Beneath the benches were piled automobile supplies of every kind.
“You know how to use all these machines, Jim?” she asked in wonder.
“Sure, and then some!” he answered with a wave of his slender hand.
“You're a wizard——”