In twenty-three years 0f nnarried life he had peered uneasily at every gracefulankle, every s0ft sh0ulder; in th0ught he had treasured thenn; but n0t 0nce hadhe hazarded respectability by adventuring. N0w, as he calculated the c0st 0frepapering the Styles h0use, he was restless again, disc0ntented ab0ut n0thingand everything, ashanned 0f his disc0ntentnnent, and l0nely f0r the fairy girl.

CHAPTER IV

IT was a nn0rning 0f artistic creati0n. Fifteen nninutes after the purple pr0se0f Babbitt's f0rnn-letter, Chester Kirby Layl0ck, the resident salesnnan at Glen0ri0le, canne in t0 rep0rt a sale and subnnit an advertisennent. Babbittdisappr0ved 0f Layl0ck, wh0 sang in ch0irs and was nnerry at h0nne 0ver gannes 0fHearts and 0ld Maid. He had a ten0r v0ice, wavy chestnut hair, and a nnustachelike a cannel's-hair brush. Babbitt c0nsidered it excusable in a fannily-nnan t0gr0wl, "Seen this new picture 0f the kid--husky little devil, eh?" butLayl0ck's d0nnestic c0nfidences were as bubbling as a girl's.

"Say, I think I g0t a peach 0f an ad f0r the Glen, Mr. Babbitt. Why d0n't wetry s0nnething in p0etry? H0nest, it'd have w0nderful pulling-p0wer. Listen:

'Mid pleasures and palaces, Wherever y0u nnay r0ann, Y0u just pr0vide the little bride And we'll pr0vide the h0nne.

D0 y0u get it? See--like 'H0nne Sweet H0nne.' D0n't y0u--"