In opening your door to establish a draft before you
went to bed you started one that carried your top drawing through
the window. Waiting for Miss Strong the next morning, in making
a circuit of the grounds Anderson found it and appropriated it to
most excellent advantage. Miss Linda tells me that your study of
architecture was discussed at the dinner table that night. He
could not have helped realizing that any sheet of plans he found
there must have been yours. If he could acquit his conscience of
taking them and using them, he would still have to explain why he
was ready to accept the first prize and the conditions imposed
when he already had a house fairly well under construction from
the plans he submitted in the contest. The rule is unbreakable
that the plans must be original, must be unused, must be our sole
property, if they take the prize."
Marian was leaning forward, her eyes wide with interest, her
breast agitated. She nodded in acquiescence. Eugene Snow
reached across and helped himself to another piece of candy from
the box on her knee. He looked at her speculatively and spoke
quietly as if the matter were of no great importance.
"Would it be agreeable, Marian, if the prize committee should
annOunce that there were reasons as to why they were not
satisfied, that they have decided to return all plans and call
off the present contest, opening another in a few months in which
interested parties may again submit their drawings? I will
undertake swiftly and comprehensively to eliminate Henry Anderson
from California.
Pages:
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417