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IDELIA surprised David, when they were on the train for Chicago, by proposing a plan for their immediate domestic arrangements. He had intended to return to the Blackstone for another day or so while they could look around for permanent quarters.

"I know just the place," Fidelia announced.

It was a new, residence hotel built close to the lake on the shore about a mile south of Alice's home; it was an unusually well-planned and pleasant hotel, with all the modern, popular features for making its guests comfortable and furnishing them entertainment. Its nearness to the Sothrons bothered David but he felt that he should not object for that reason; so Fidelia and he went to the hotel from the train and had their trunks brought from down town the next day.

In the evening, while Fidelia was finishing her settling into their new room, David took a walk alone up the shore drive to within sight of Alice's home. The house was dark and, going closer, he saw that shutters were on the lower windows. He tried the iron gate and found it locked.

When he reported this to Fidelia, upon his return to the hotel, she said: "Why, Mr. and Mrs. Sothron and Alice are all away in Europe. It was in the society