Page:Stanwood Pier--The ancient grudge.djvu/349

338 architect and a doctor is clear enough, of course. Well, I think that my grandfather and my grandmother should have their personal representative in this affair. It is n't. just because of sentiment, but I think it's right that so far as the views they might have held don't conflict with those of the doctor and the architect, they should be adopted."

"If you think it would be your grandfather's wish that the men he named as executors should be reduced to mere—mere figureheads," commented Mr. Dunbar rather bitterly.

"Oh, you won't be a figurehead, Mr. Dunbar; we won't allow you to be," Floyd assured him, with a laugh. "But," he added, "Mr. Barstow approves of what I've just suggested; he thinks it's the right way to manage."

"Well, why won't you look at Stewart's plans anyway?" insisted Mr. Dunbar. "I know they're good; I think maybe if you looked at them they'd convince you it would be a waste of time and effort to look any further."

"I can't look at anybody's plans—Stewart's or anybody else's," Floyd answered. "If the competition is to be fairly conducted, as I intend it shall be, no member of the committee should have any knowledge as to the authorship of the plans submitted."

Mr. Dunbar rose to go, his usual good humor seriously impaired.

"It seems to me that it would be showing no more than a friendly interest to glance at a man's drawings," he said. "However, I'll spare you any further urging."

He was so chagrined over his failure that he could not be induced to give any full account of it, even to Stewart. All he would say was that Floyd seemed bent on having a competition and running it all himself, and that he apparently had no interest in having Stewart chosen architect or even in examining his plans. Stewart was not meek in accepting a rebuff. It seemed too improbable that Floyd could have rejected him outright, and he at-