Selma knew what she thought in her own mind, and she
entertained the hope that this lesson might be a lamp to his feet for
future illumination. She was even generous enough to exclaim, placing
her hands on his shoulders and looking into his face with complacent
fervor:
"You might have accomplished it just as well yourself, Wilbur."
Littleton shook his head and smiled. "It was a case of witchery and
fascination. He probably divined how eager you were to help me, and he
was glad to yield to the agreeable spell of your wifely devotion."
"Oh, no," said Selma. "I am sure he never guessed for one moment of what
I was thinking. Of course, I did try to make him like me, but that was
only sensible. To make people like one is the way to get business, I
believe."
Littleton's quarter of an hour of exaltation was rudely checked by a
note from Mrs. Parsons, requesting an interview in regard to the plans.
When he presented himself he found her and her daughter imbued with
definite ideas on the subject of architects and architecture. In the
eyes of Mrs. Parsons the architect of her projected house was nothing
but a young man in the employ of her husband, who was to guide them as
to measurements, carpentry, party-walls and plumbing, but was otherwise
to do her bidding for a pecuniary consideration, on the same general
basis as the waiter at the hotel or the theatre ticket-agent.
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