"We have no right to question his motives, Nolla," said Mr. Ashby, seriously. "I do not wish to speak of this again, unless he himself mentions the subject to you girls. He has seemed anxious to keep the news from you, for some reason. But I firmly believe the poor man still has a shred of love for his wife alive in his bosom, and that is why he will not oppose her in any way she wishes to secure happiness." That night when Polly and Eleanor sat together doing some home-work on decorating, Polly suddenly looked up and said: "Nolla, if only our dear Dalky could meet our dear Mrs. Courtney--wouldn't they make a fine couple?" "Oh, Poll! There you go again! I have tried to keep from thinking that very thing, ever since I heard Mrs. Courtney tell us of that horrid woman's being in Reno. Our Dalky will be free, and what so great as to have him fall in love with a really appreciative woman." Eleanor clasped her hands and expressed ecstatic joy at the very idea of such bliss. "But the whole plan would be ruined if it turned out that Dalky was still in love with his first wife, you know," argued Polly. "It wouldn't take long to get him out of it," retorted Eleanor. "With such a lovely woman as Mrs. Courtney to be had for the loving and asking, I'd like to wager all I have that Dalky would walk into the snare." "What snare? Who'd set it for his faltering steps?" laughed Polly, enjoying this romancing to the utmost. "Why, we would, to be sure. Now look at it in a practical way, Poll. There is Mrs. Courtney: very good-looking, rich, refined, lonely, about thirty-five or thirty-eight, at most. Here is our Dalky, also handsome, rich, refined, lonely (but for us) about forty years old, and just the man to have a wonderful wife to make him happy. Is that not an ideal match?" Eleanor tossed her head wisely. "That's what _we_ think! But we are not going to marry Dalky nor Mrs. Courtney. They may not agree with us, you know." "Polly, nothing like trying out a thing to see how it works. Now we must scheme to bring those two together and let them find out how desirable each is for the other," suggested Eleanor. "I think that is a good plan--bring them together and see how they seem to get along," said Polly, musingly. "All right, then. How shall we do it?" "Could we not invite Mrs. Courtney to inspect some of the materials we are going to order for Dalky's apartment? We could so plan that Dalky would be there at the same time. Then they would meet and hear that each one is the great and only friend the other has heard so much about from us?" "Yes, that's a fine way to get them together," said Polly. "Now when shall it be?" "The sooner, the better," retorted Eleanor. "We are going to get that book of new imported samples of damask, this week, Nolla. Why not ask Mrs. Courtney to look at them. As they are ordered for Dalky's apartment, what more natural than he should drop in to look them over?"