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〃Run！〃 he commanded。 〃Get out of here； Tell him he is to SELL！〃
He turned to Helen with a look in his eyes that could not be
questioned or denied。 He seemed incapable of speech； and； to
break the silence； Helen said： 〃Is it good news？〃
〃That depends entirely upon you；〃 replied Philip soberly。
〃Indeed； all my future life depends upon what you are going to
say next。〃
Helen breathed deeply and happily。
〃Andwhat am I going to say？〃
〃How can I know that？〃 demanded Philip。 〃Am I a mind reader？〃
But what she said may be safely guessed from the fact that they
both chucked Lady Woodcotes luncheon； and ate one of penny buns；
which they shared with the bears in Regents Park。
Philip was just able to pay for the penny buns。 Helen paid for
the taxi…cab。
Chapter 7。 THE NAKED MAN
In their home town of Keepsburg； the Keeps were the reigning
dynasty； socially and in every way。 Old man Keep was president of
the trolley line； the telephone company； and the Keep National
Bank。 But Fred； his son； and the heir apparent； did not inherit
the business ability of his father； or； if he did； he took pains
to conceal that fact。 Fred had gone through Harvard； but as to
that also； unless he told people； they would not have known it。
Ten minutes after Fred met a man he generally told him。
When Fred arranged an alliance with Winnie Platt； who also was of
the innermost inner set of Keepsburg； everybody said Keepsburg
would soon lose them。 And everybody was right。 When single； each
had sighed for other social worlds to conquer； and when they
combined their fortunes and ambitions they found Keepsburg
impossible； and they left it to lay siege to New York。 They were
too crafty to at once attack New York itself。 A widow lady they
met while on their honeymoon at Palm Beach had told them not to
attempt that。 And she was the Palm Beach correspondent of a
society paper they naturally accepted her advice。 She warned them
that in New York the waiting…list is already interminable； and
that； if you hoped to break into New York society； the clever
thing to do was to lay siege to it by way of the suburbs and the
country clubs。 If you went direct to New York knowing no one； you
would at once expose that fact； and the result would be
disastrous。
She told them of a couple like themselves； young and rich and
from the West； who； at the first dance to which they were
invited； asked； 〃Who is the old lady in the wig？〃 and that
question argued them so unknown that it set them back two years。
It was a terrible story； and it filled the Keeps with misgivings。
They agreed with the lady correspondent that it was far better to
advance leisurely； first firmly to intrench themselves in the
suburbs； and then to enter New York； not as the Keeps from
Keepsburg； which meant nothing； but as the Fred Keeps of Long
Island； or Westchester； or Bordentown。
〃In all of those places；〃 explained the widow lady； 〃our smartest
people have country homes； and at the country club you may get to
know them。 Then； when winter comes； you follow them on to the
city。〃
The point from which the Keeps elected to launch their attack was
Scarboro…on…the…Hudson。 They selected Scarboro because both of
them could play golf； and they planned that their first skirmish
should be fought and won upon the golf…links of the Sleepy Hollow
Country Club。 But the attack did not succeed。 Something went
wrong。 They began to fear that the lady correspondent had given
them the wrong dope。 For； although three months had passed； and
they had played golf together until they were as loath to clasp a
golf club as a red…hot poker； they knew no one； and no one knew
them。 That is； they did not know the Van Wardens； and if you
lived at Scarboro and were not recognized by the Van Wardens； you
were not to be found on any map。
Since the days of Hendrik Hudson the country…seat of the Van
Wardens had looked down upon the river that bears his name； and
ever since those days the Van Wardens had looked down upon
everybody else。 They were so proud that at all their gates they
had placed signs reading； 〃No horses allowed。 Take the other
road。〃 The other road was an earth road used by tradespeople from
Ossining； the road reserved for the Van Wardens； and automobiles；
was of bluestone。 It helped greatly to give the Van Warden estate
the appearance of a well kept cemetery。 And those Van Wardens who
occupied the country…place were as cold and unsociable as the
sort of people who occupy cemeteriesexcept 〃Harry〃 Van Warden；
and she lived in New York at the Turf Club。
Harry； according to all local traditionfor he frequently
motored out to Warden Koopf； the Van Warden country…seatand；
according to the newspapers； was a devil of a fellow and in no
sense cold or unsociable。 So far as the Keeps read of him； he was
always being arrested for overspeeding； or breaking his
collar…bone out hunting； or losing his front teeth at polo。 This
greatly annoyed the proud sisters at Warden Koopf； not because
Harry was arrested or had broken his collar…bone； but because it
dragged the family name into the newspapers。
〃If you would only play polo or ride to hounds instead of playing
golf；〃 sighed Winnie Keep to her husband； 〃you would meet Harry
Van Warden； and he'd introduce you to his sisters； and then we
could break in anywhere。〃
〃If I was to ride to hounds；〃 returned her husband； 〃the only
thing I'd break would be my neck。〃
The country…place of the Keeps was completely satisfactory； and
for the purposes of their social comedy the stage…setting was
perfect。 The house was one they had rented from a man of charming
taste and inflated fortune； and with it they had taken over his
well…disciplined butler； his pictures； furniture； family silver；
and linen。 It stood upon an eminence； was heavily wooded； and
surrounded by many gardens； but its chief attraction was an
artificial lake well stocked with trout that lay directly below
the terrace of the house and also in full view from the road to
Albany。
This latter fact caused Winnie Keep much concern。 In the
neighborhood were many Italian laborers； and on several nights
the fish had tempted these born poachers to trespass； and more
than once； on hot summer evenings； small boys from Tarrytown and
Ossining had broken through the hedge； and used the lake as a
swimming…pool。
〃It makes me nervous；〃 complained Winnie。 〃I don't like the idea
of people prowling around so near the house。 And think of those
twelve hundred convicts； not one mile away； in Sing Sing。 Most of
them are burglars； and if they ever get out； our house is the
very first one they'll break into。〃
〃I haven't caught anybody in this neighborhood breaking into our
house yet；〃 said Fred； 〃and I'd be glad to see even a burglar！〃
They were seated on the brick terrace that overlooked the lake。
It was just before the dinner hour； and the dusk of a wonderful
October night had fallen on the hedges； the clumps of evergreens；
the rows of close…clipped box。 A full moon was just showing
itself above the tree…tops； turning the lake into moving silver。
Fred rose from his wicker chair and； crossing to his young bride；
touched her hair fearfully with the tips of his fingers。
〃What if we don't know anybody； Win；〃 he said； 〃and nobody knows
us？ It's been a perfectly good honeymoon； hasn't it？ If you just
look at it that way； it works out all right。 We came here really
for our honeymoon； to be together； to be alone〃
Winnie laughed shortly。 〃They certainly have left us alone！〃 she
sighed。
〃But where else could we have been any happier？〃 demanded the
young husband loyally。 〃Where will you find any prettier place
than this； just as it is at this minute； so still and sweet and
silent？ There's nothing the matter with that moon； is there？
Nothing the matter with the lake？ Where's there a better place
for a honeymoon？ It's a bowera bower of peace； solitude
abower of〃
As though mocking his words； there burst upon the sleeping
countryside the shriek of a giant siren。 It was raucous；
virulent； insulting。 It came as sharply as a scream of terror； it
continued in a bellow of rage。 Then； as suddenly as it had cried
aloud； it sa