"I'm certainly interested in knowing whether or not you'll—ever come back to Oldburgh—but I don't want you to tell me anything you'd rather I shouldn't know."
"I believe I want to tell you," he replied, his face softening humorously. "We have bought acres and acres more of Oldburgh's suburbs, and we're going to have quite a little city out here!"
"There's room for improvement," I observed, looking out through the window into the greasy darkness.
"There is and I'm going to see to it that the improvement's made! There will be model cottages here in place of those miserable hovels that I'm glad you can't see from here to-night—and each cottage will have its garden spot—"
"That's good!" I approved. "I love gardens."
"Wait until you see some English ones I have seen," he said patriotically.
"I shall—then pattern my own by them! But—these Loomis plans?"
"Model cottages, with gardens—then a schoolhouse, with well-kept grounds—a club-room for men—"
"And a sewing circle for their wives," I added contemptuously.
He looked taken aback.