"I’m asking you, Sarah." There was a silence; then she said timidly: "Do you know anything more about them?" "They’re rather learned," he said grimly. "One, I understand, is entitled to practice medicine—the other law.... They scarcely look it." "Those babies!" "Certainly. Snaith was at Keno on business last winter; he heard of ’em there. Also—I’ve inquired." "You have learned nothing to their discredit, I am sure," she said confidently. "No; as the fast world wags, they’re respectable enough——" "Fast! Jacob!" "Oh, Sarah, I didn’t mean it in any sinister sense.... They’re merely rather gay—into everything everywhere—dancing all night, riding, motoring all over the shop.... They’re pretty girls, and good ones, too, I guess.... But the world has gone by us, mother. It’s developed speed. That’s what I mean by fast." "If it were not for the children’s sake, I would be glad to be left behind," she said, smiling. "So would I. Damn this gim-crack fol-de-rol!" "Jacob!" "Excuse me.... We’ll do what we ought to; the children want New York, and I’m going to give it to them if I can.... So I guess you’d better caution Jack about that girl." "About Miss Tennant?" "Silvette; yes. Tell him to keep away." "But she is Mr. Edgerton’s cousin." "It’s too far off to count; besides, it’s not a good enough gamble. As far as that goes, I’m not satisfied that Jim Edgerton is good enough." "Oh, Jacob! You _said_——" "If I’d stuck to all I’ve said, you’d still be doing the family cooking, dear. Jim Edgerton does, or did, go everywhere in New York.... I wonder how far he could take our daughter with him? ... Wait, Sarah—I’m not reflecting on Christine; I’m only speculating. How do I know about the customs and habits of the New York fauna? I want to go slow. I don’t care how little money he has, or even how much he might have had; _I’ll_ do that part. But, first, I want to know exactly where he can take Christine. The knot hole may be too big for her." "They sent you a report from New York, dear. You have a full list of all his relatives." "I know—I know. If he had none, I wouldn’t be afraid. It’s a man’s relatives who act nasty, not his friends.... Does Christine seem to like him?" "The child is frankly devoted to him.... I don’t know if it means anything more than friendship. Christine is a strange girl. There was young Inwood——" "Everybody’s beau! Glad she shipped him.... But to return to Jack—what’s your opinion?" "I don’t know. He is with Silvette so much; he is such a dear boy——" "Tell him plainly we don’t want her. I like her myself, but there’s better material.... Other things aside, I don’t want my boy to marry a girl who plays cards the way she does." "Jacob! You don’t mean——"