"But I haven't!" Milly retorted despairingly. She did not like to admit that her opportunities had not been as numerous as it was popularly supposed they had been. They never were, as Nettie must know from her own experience. Yet she had had her "chances," and why hadn't she pulled it off before this? Why had all the little flirtations with promising young men come to nothing? Were they afraid of her lavish hand? Or had she been waiting for something else,--"the real, right thing?" She did not know. Her grandmother said that a penniless girl had no right to be so "particular"--which always maddened Milly. "I'm afraid you're not serious enough, my dear," Mrs. Gilbert remarked in gentle reproof. She had always felt that was a flaw in Milly's character,--a lack of deep interest in the missionary side of life. "But men don't like serious women," Milly said flippantly, dangling her slipper on the end of her toes. "I think the best ones do," Mrs. Gilbert retorted severely. "You were making fun of Mr. Parker at supper to-night, and I'm afraid he understood." "I know," Milly admitted penitently. "But he has such a funny voice." She imitated amusingly the shrill falsetto of the said Clarence Parker. "And he's so solemn about everything he says." Mrs. Gilbert laughed in spite of her stern mood, then controlled herself. "But, Milly, Clarence Parker's very nice. He's related to the best people where he comes from, and he is doing remarkably well in his business, Roy says." "What is it?" Milly demanded more practically. "Stocks and bonds, I think,--banking, you know." "Oh," said Milly, somewhat impressed. "What is Clarence Parker's business, Roy?" Mrs. Gilbert appealed to her husband, who at that moment happened to enter the room. "He represents several large estates in the East--invests the money," Gilbert replied, and turning to Milly with a smile asked:-- "Going out for him, Milly? He's all right, solid as a rock." "Lighthouse," Milly corrected sulkily. "And he's got plenty of his own money--has sense about investments." "I haven't any to make!" "Oh, come--you've got one...." Nevertheless, when the two friends said their good-bys, kissing each other affectionately on the cheek and saying, "Will you go with me to the Drummonds Tuesday?" and "How about the meeting for the Old Man's Mission?" Milly added, "Your financial rock asked if he might call. I told him he could." Milly squeaked the words in imitation of Mr. Parker's thin voice. They both laughed.