orrid
match-making arrangements that you have in your dreadful country.
American mothers are not like English mothers."

"Oh, any one can see, of course," said Captain Lovelock, "that Mr.
Gordon Wright is dying of love for Miss Vivian."

"I can't see it!" cried Blanche.

"He dies easier than I, eh?"

"I wish you would die!" said Blanche. "At any rate, Angela is not dying
of love for Mr. Wright."

"Well, she will marry him all the same," Lovelock declared.

Blanche Evers glanced at Bernard.

"Why don't you contradict that?" she asked. "Why don't you speak up for
your friend?"

"I am quite ready to speak for my friend," said Bernard, "but I am not
ready to speak for Miss Vivian."

"Well, I am," Blanche declared. "She won't marry him."

"If she does n't, I 'll eat my hat!" said Captain Lovelock. "What do
you mean," he went on, "by saying that in America a pretty girl's mother
does n't care for a young fellow's property?"

"Well, they don't--we consider that dreadful. Why don't you say so,
Mr. Longueville?" Blanche demanded. "I never saw any one take things so
quietly. Have n't you got any patriotism?"

"My patriotism is modified by an indisposition to generalize," said
Bernard, laughing. "On this point permit me not to generalize. I am
interested in the particular case--in ascertaining whether Mrs. Vivian
thinks very often of Gordon Wright's income."

Miss Evers gave a little toss of disgust.

"If you are so awfully impartial, you had better go and ask her."

"That 's a good idea--I think I will go and ask her," said Bernard.

Captain Lovelock returned to his argument.

"Do you mean to say that your mother would be indifferent to the fact
that I have n't a shilling in the world?"

"Indifferent?" Blanche demanded. "Oh no, she would be sorry for you. She
is very charitable--she would give you a shilling!"

"She would n't let you marry me," said Lovelock.

"She would n't have much trouble to prevent it!" cried the young girl.

Bernard had had enough of this intellectual fencing.

"Yes, I will go and ask Mrs. Vivian," he repeated. And he left his
companions to resume their walk.

CHAPTER X

It had seemed to him a good idea to interrogate Mrs. Vivian; but there
are a great many good ideas that are never put into execution. As he
approached her with a smile and a salutation, and, with the air of
asking leave to take a liberty, seated himself in the empty chair beside
her, he felt a humoro