"Yes," said Sarella with impregnable amiability, "but we can't all be nuns. Miss Mariquita doesn't seem to think _you_ likely to be one. She sent me back by her father such a nice letter. She sends Jack and you her love, and, though she doesn't send Larry Burke her love, thinking of you evidently makes her think of him." Ginger visibly relaxed, and her father stared appallingly with his one eye. "Good Lord!" quoth he in more sincere than flattering astonishment. "Well, he is good," Ginger observed cooly, "and there's worse folk than Larry Burke, or me either." "Miss Mariquita thinks it would be such a good thing for him," Sarella reported. "So must any one." Ginger felt that this, after her unpleasantness to the young lady who brought the message, was handsome. "He might do better," she declared, "and he might do worse." "Has he _said_ anything?" her father inquired with undisguised incredulity. "What he's said is nothing," Ginger calmly replied. "It's what I think as matters. He's no Cressote, but he's got a bit--or ought, if he hasn't spent it. I'd keep his money together for him, and he'd soon find it a saving. And I could do with him--for if his head's soft so's his heart. I think, Dad," she concluded, willing "to take it out" of her father for his unflattering incredulity, "you may as well, when Miss Sarella's gone, tell him to step round. I'll soon fix it." "I couldn't do that," Jack expostulated. "Why not?" Ginger demanded with fell determination. "I really don't see why you shouldn't," Sarella protested, much amused though not betraying it. "It's all for his good," she added seriously. Jack was shaken, but not yet disposed to obedience. "Larry," Sarella urged, "won't be so much surprised as you think. Miss Mariquita, you see, wants him and Ginger to make a match of it--" "But does _he_?" Jack pleaded, moved by Mariquita's opinion, but not so sure it would reduce Larry to subjection. "Tut!" said Ginger impatiently. "What's _he_ to do with it? If he don't know what's best for him, I do. So does Miss Sarella. So does Miss Mariquita." "And," Sarella added, "you may be sure Miss Mariquita would never have said a word about it if she hadn't felt pretty sure it was to come off. She's never been one to be planning marriages. Why, Larry must have made it as plain as a pikestaff that he was ready, or she would never have guessed it." The weight of this argument left Jack defenseless. "Hadn't you better wait, Ginger," he attempted to argue with shallow subtlety; "he's like enough to step round after supper. Then I'd clear, and you could say when you liked." "No," Ginger decided, "I'm tired of him stepping round after supper, just to chatter. He'd be prepared if you told him I'd said he was to come. He'd know something was wanted. In fact, you'd better tell him." "Tell him? Me? Tell him what?" "Just that I'd made up my mind to say 'yes' if he'd a question to ask me."