stand that certain things and ways were absolutely
essential. I suppose it isn't his fault exactly, but that doesn't help.
And how can we tell him?"

"I don't know that you can tell him, but you might hint. Diplomacy, my
dear, is one of the necessary elements of life. Whatever else you
do remember to be diplomatic. My poor husband used to have a pet
proverb--he was interested in politics, my dear, and some of his sayings
were a trifle grotesque but very much to the point. He used to say that
one could get rid of more flies with molasses than with a club. And I
think he was right. Now let me consider. Let's look the situation right
in the face. Of course your guardian, as a companion, as an associate
for us, for our kind of people, is, to be quite frank, impossible."

"Yes. Yes, I'm sure he is."

"Yes. But he _is_ your guardian. Therefore, we can't get rid of him
with--well, with a club. He must be endured and made as endurable as
possible. And it certainly will not do to offend him."

"Steve says we must do what he calls freezing him out--make him feel
that we do not want him here."

"Hum! Well, Stephen is a nice boy--Malcolm adores him--but he isn't a
diplomat. If we should--what is it?--freeze out your uncle--"

"Please call him something else."

"Well, we'll call him the encumbrance on the estate; that's legal,
I believe, and expresses it nicely. If we should freeze out the
encumbrance, we _might_ freeze him to his village, and he _might_ insist
on your going with him, which wouldn't do at _all_, my dear. For one
thing, Malcolm would probably insist on going, also, and I, for one,
don't yearn for rural simplicity. Ha! ha! Oh, you mustn't mind me. I'm
only a doting mamma, dearie, and I have my air castles like everyone
else. So, freezing out won't do. No, you and Steve must be polite to our
encumbrance."

"I shall not get on my knees to him and beg. That I sha'n't do."

"No one expects you to. If anyone begs it should be he. Condescend to
just a little. Make him feel his place. Correct him when he goes too far
wrong, and ignore him when he gets assertive. As for getting rid of him
at times when it may be necessary--well, I think you may safely leave
that to me."

"To you? Oh, Mrs. Dunn, we couldn't think of dragging you into it. It is
bad enough that we should be disgraced; but you must not be."

"My dear child, I _think_ my position in society is sufficiently
established to warrant a risk or two. If _I_