Stewart flushed, but he would not allow Floyd even a temporally advantage. "Fortunately, relations between man and wife need n't be inferred from those between employer and employee," he retorted. "Anyway, I think I can write to her and find something to say. And I hope you're willing to accept my congratulations and good wishes, Floyd—and to believe them sincere?"
Floyd laughed. "Of course, Stewart. Thank you for coming in to tell me."
You must acknowledge it was rather magnanimous," replied Stewart, "when you left me to hear of it through Lydia. I really think that I'm the one you should have told.—Especially as you were the person that I took into my confidence when Lydia and I were first engaged."
Floyd was too amazed at this display of sensitiveness to attempt any reply.
"You must n't be too suspicious of your friends," continued Stewart. "Just because a sense of public duty and responsibility sometimes prompts them to come out against you, you should n't think that they've ceased to be your friends. Of course I'm not jealous of Lydia because you chose to tell her. Only I think I was entitled to hear such a thing from your own lips."
"It did n't occur to me that you'd feel there was any slight," Floyd answered, still at a loss as to how to meet this unexpected reproof. "Oh, hang it all, Stewart, let's get back to the main issue. The point is, you were good enough to come in and congratulate me, and I *m mighty glad to have your congratulations and thank you the best I know how. There—shake hands."
With a laugh and still holding his friend's hand, he helped Stewart to get gracefully out of the room.
The next day was the first of October, and the sealed plans submitted in competition for the Rebecca Halket Hospitals were brought into Floyd's private office. The two other judges arrived,—Dr. Edwards and the New York architect; the plans were opened, and the committee
