"No," said Claire, shaking her head slowly, "he was very reticent on that subject. Perhaps he thought I might want to know her if he painted her portrait as you have done. That would have been awkward for him, provided his sister had declined my acquaintance. And I dare say she would have declined it, as I was not in her exclusive circle." Mrs. Diggs put her head a little on one side. She was looking at Claire intently. A smile played like a faint flicker of light on her thin lips, whose two bluish lines always kept the same tinge. "Why are you so candid with me?" she asked. "Candid?" repeated Claire. "Yes. Why do you show me that you would like to know Cornelia Van Horn?" "Why?" still repeated Claire. "Did I show you that?" "Not openly--not in so many words, don't you know? But I imagine it." "You are very quick at imagining," said Claire, with a little playful toss of the head. "Well, if you choose, I _should_ like to know her. I should like to know any one who ranks herself high, like that, and has a recognized claim. I have a fellow-feeling for ambitious people. I'm ambitious myself." Mrs. Diggs seemed deeply amused. She lifted a forefinger, and shook it at Claire. "I'm afraid you're _very_ ambitious," she said. "Well, I am," admitted Claire, not knowing how much rosy and dimpled charm her face had got while she spoke the words. "I am quite willing to concede that I have aims, projects, intentions." Mrs. Diggs threw back her head, and laughed noisily. But she lowered her voice to a key much graver than her laugh, as she said:-- "You're as clever as Cornelia, in your way. Yes, you are. I shouldn't be surprised if you were a good deal cleverer, too. I suspect there's a nice stock of discreet reserve under your candor." Claire creased her brows in a slightly piqued manner. "That is not very pleasant to hear," she said. Mrs. Diggs stretched out her hand across the table so pointedly and cordially that Claire felt forced to take it. "I like you. You interest me. Forgive me if I've annoyed you." "You haven't annoyed me," was Claire's reply. "I want to see those aims, projects, intentions," Mrs. Diggs continued, still holding her hand, and warmly pressing it besides. "Yes, I want to see you _exploiter_ them--carry them out. You shall do it, if I can help you. And you will _let_ me help you, I hope? You won't think me disagreeably patronizing, will you? I only speak in this way because I've taken a desperate fancy to you." "Thanks," said Claire. Her eyes were sparkling; her heart was beating quickly. XIV. When Hollister returned that evening, almost the first words that Claire spoke to him were: "Congratulate me, Herbert. I have taken a fine forward step at last." "What do you mean, my dear?" "I have got to know somebody of importance. I have launched my ship."