"It was like her," she said softly, "especially telling you to keep quiet about it. A good many women might have given up their dances, but very few could have resisted the temptation to make capital out of their generosity. Never tell me again, miserable creature," she continued, turning suddenly upon her comatose spouse, "that a woman is incapable of doing a good turn to another woman!" "Cert'nly, m'dear," replied Captain Leroy, making a desperate effort to close his mouth and open his eyes. "But of course," broke in Hughie unexpectedly, "there are precious few women like Joey." Then he bit his lip, and turned a dusky red. Mrs. Leroy, being a woman, took no outward notice, but her husband, who was a plain creature, turned and regarded his guest with undisguised interest. "What _ho_!" he remarked, wagging his sleepy head. "Good-night, old man!" said Hughie hurriedly. CHAPTER XIV BUSINESS ONLY Next morning Hughie made Miss Joan Gaymer a proposal of marriage. It was not an impressive effort--very few proposals are. But a performance of this kind may miss the mark as a spectacle and yet, by the indulgence of the principal spectator, achieve its end. Even thus Hughie failed, and for various reasons. In the first place, he proposed directly after breakfast, which, as Joey pathetically observed to Mrs. Leroy long afterwards, was just the sort of brutal thing he would do. A woman, especially if she be young, likes to be won, or at any rate wooed, in a certain style. A secluded spot, subdued light, mayhap a moon; if possible, distant music--all these things tell. If Hughie had paid a little more attention to stage-effects of this kind he might have found his ward more amenable. Being a Marrable, he brushed aside these trappings and came straight to what he fondly imagined was the point, little knowing that to a young girl romance and courtship make up one great and glorious vista, filling the eye and occupying the entire landscape, while marriage is a small black cloud on the distant horizon. His actual method of procedure was to sit heavily down beside his ward as she enjoyed the morning sun in a corner of the lawn, and say,-- "Joey, I want to talk to you--on business." "All right, warder," replied Miss Gaymer meekly; "fire away!" "I suppose you know," said Hughie, a little dashed, "that all your affairs have been left in my hands?" "I do, worse luck!" said Miss Gaymer frankly. "And that reminds me, Hughie dear, I should like a trifle on account. You won't refuse poor Joey, will you?" She squeezed her guardian's arm in a manner which a Frenchman would have described as _très câline_. "I think I had better put you on an allowance," said Hughie. Joan's eyes danced. "Oh, you _ripper_! How much?" "Can't say," replied Hughie, "until I've been up to town and seen the bankers." "When are you going?"