his children to his country. So we suggested that he should invite Lady
Scudamore to spend the summer with us, if she can be persuaded to leave
home so long. We will do our very utmost to make her comfortable, and
she will be a tower of strength to us; for you know sometimes it is very
awkward to have only two young ladies. But we dare not do anything until
we asked you. Do you think she would take compassion upon us? A word
from you perhaps would decide her; and Faith would write a letter for
you to send."

Scudamore reddened with delight, and took her hand. "How can I thank
you? I had better not try," he answered, with some very tender play
of thumb and fore-finger, and a strong impulse to bring lips too into
action. "You are almost as clever as you are good; you will know what
I mean without my telling you. My mother will be only too glad to come.
She knows what you are, she has heard so much from me. And the reality
will put to shame all my descriptions."

"Tell me what you told her I was like. The truth, now, and not a word
of afterthought or flattery. I am always so irritated by any sort of
flattery."

"Then you must let me hold your hands, to subdue your irritation; for
you are sure to think that it was flattery--you are so entirely ignorant
of yourself, because you never think of it. I told my dear mother that
you were the best, and sweetest, and wisest, and loveliest, and most
perfect, and exquisite, and innocent, and unselfish of all the human
beings she had ever seen, or heard, or read of. And I said it was quite
impossible for any one after one look at you to think of himself any
more in this world."

"Well done!" exclaimed Dolly, showing no irritation, unless a gleam of
pearls inside an arch of coral showed it. "It is as well to do things
thoroughly, while one is about it. I can understand now how you get on
so fast. But, alas, your dear mother will only laugh at all that. Ladies
are so different from gentlemen. Perhaps that is why gentlemen never
understand them. And I would always a great deal rather be judged by a
gentleman than a lady. Ladies pick such a lot of holes in one another,
whereas gentlemen are too large-minded. And I am very glad upon the
whole that you are not a lady, though you are much more gentle than
they make believe to be. Oh dear! We must run; or the ladies will never
forgive us for keeping them starving all this time."

CHAPTER XLI

LISTENERS HEAR NO GOOD

"Not that t