ill not resist the temptation of
making one of your audience."

"Van Huysman!" exclaimed the Professor. "That Yankee charlatan, confound
him! I shouldn't wonder if he had the impudence to take part in the
discussion afterwards."

"Then," laughed Nitocris, "you must take care to have all your heavy
guns ready for action. But, of course, Dad, you won't let your--well,
your scientific feelings get mixed up with social matters, will you?
Because, you know, I like Brenda very much; she's the prettiest and
brightest girl I know. You know, she can do almost anything, and yet
she's as unaffected----"

"As some one else we know," interrupted the Professor with another
smile.

"And then, you know, Mrs van Huysman," continued Nitocris with a little
flush, "is such a dear, innocent, good-natured thing, so good-hearted
and so deliciously American. Of course, you can fight with the Professor
as much as you like in print, and in lecture halls--I know you both love
it--but you'll still be friends socially, won't you?"

"Which, of course, means garden-parties and river trips, and similar
frivolities that learned young ladies love so much. You needn't trouble
about that, Niti. I shall not allow my zeal for scientific truth to
interfere with your social pleasures, you may be quite sure. Science, as
you know, has nothing to do with what we call Society, except as one of
the most curious phenomena of Sociology. Drive into town whenever you
like and see them. Present my respectful compliments, and ask them to
dinner, or whatever you like. And now I must get to my work--I've only
three more days, and my notes are not anything like complete."

"Very well, Dad; I think I'll telephone them--they're stopping at the
Savoy--extravagant people!--to say that I'll run in this afternoon and
have tea. Oh! and, by the way," she added, as he turned towards the
house, "there's another item. Lord Leighton has been called home
suddenly on some business, and will be here the day after to-morrow."

"Oh! indeed," said the Professor, pausing. "Well, I shall be delighted
to see him--but I don't know what I shall have to say to him about that
Mummy."

Nitocris turned away towards her chair with a faint smile on her lips.
With a woman's rapid intuition, she had seen a glimmer of hope in the
conjunction of these two announcements. Although Professor van Huysman's
personal fortune was not as great as his attainments or his fame, Brenda
would be very rich, f