"Well, it is rather difficult and invidious too," she said, "to try to keep certain people out when one is not sure who is coming--and it is rather dull not to see any one," with a little quiver of the lip which Sir William did not perceive. Then speaking more lightly, "It is a pity we can't have some kind of automatic arrangement at our front doors, like the thing for testing sovereigns at the Mint, by which the heavy, tiresome people would be shot back into the street, and the light, amusing ones shot into the hall." "I am quite agreeable," said Sir William, "as long as Aunt Anna is shot back into the street." "Ah, how delightful it would be!" said Lady Gore longingly. "And Miss Tarlton too, please," said Sir William. "My dear William," Lady Gore said, "Miss Tarlton is quite harmless." "Harmless?" repeated Sir William; "I don't know what you call harmless. The very thought of her fills me with impotent rage. A woman who talks of nothing but photography and bicycling, and goes about with her fingers pea-green and her legs in gaiters! It's an outrage on society. I am thankful that Rachel has never gone in for any nonsense of that sort--nor ever shall, while I can prevent it." "My good friend," said Lady Gore, "you may not find that so easy." "I will prevent it as long as she is under my roof," replied Sir William. "I suppose if she marries a husband with any fads of that sort, she will have to share them." "But"--Lady Gore checked herself on the verge of saying, "I don't think he has," as she suddenly realised what image was called up by the mention of Rachel's possible husband--"but she might marry some one who hasn't," she ended lamely. "Oh dear me, yes," said Sir William, "there is time enough for that; she is very young after all." "She is twenty-two," said Lady Gore. "Perhaps that is young in these days when women don't seem to marry until they are nearly thirty. But I don't think it is a good plan to wait so long." "I don't think it's a bad one," said Sir William; "they know their own minds at any rate." "They have known half a dozen of their own minds," said Lady Gore. "I think it is much better for a girl to marry before she knows that there is an alternative to the mind she has got, such as it is." Sir William smiled, but did not think it worth while to argue the point. It was not his province, but her mother's, to guide Rachel's career, and he was content to remain in comfortable ignorance of the complications of the female heart of a younger generation. However, he was not allowed to remain in that detached attitude, for Lady Gore, with the subject uppermost in her mind preoccupying her to the exclusion of everything else, could not help adding, "You often see Mr. Rendel at parties, when you and Rachel go out, I mean?" "Rendel? Yes," said Gore indifferently. "Why?" Lady Gore did not explain. "I like him," she said.