'It's more than fun,' she said. 'Unless I'm interfered with,' she added resentfully. 'Your mother's ideas are so strict,' smiled Fricker, wiping his mouth and laying aside his napkin. 'If she'd come in when I did--eh, Connie?' He shook his head and delicately picked his teeth. 'It's all right if--if you let me alone.' She came round to him. 'I can take care of myself, and----' She sat on the arm of his chair. 'It wouldn't be so bad, would it?' she asked. 'Hum. No, perhaps it wouldn't,' admitted Fricker. 'Do you like him, Connie?' 'We should manage very well, I think,' she laughed, feeling easier in her mind. 'But if you tell mamma now----' 'We upset the apple-cart, do we, Connie?' He fell into thought. 'Might do worse, and perhaps shouldn't do much better, eh?' 'I daresay not. And'--an unusual timidity for the moment invaded Miss Connie's bearing--'and I do rather like him, papa.' Fricker had the family affections, and to him his daughter seemed well-nigh all that a daughter could be expected to be. She had her faults, of course--a thing not calculated to surprise Fricker--but she was bright, lively, pretty, clever, dutiful, and very well behaved. So long as she was also reasonable, he would stretch a point to please her; he would at least make every consideration on her side of the case weigh as heavily as possible. He thought again, reviewing Beaufort Chance in the new light. 'Well, run it for yourself,' he said at last. Connie bent down and kissed him. She was blushing and she looked happy. 'Now run off upstairs.' 'You won't tell mamma?' 'Not if you can go on managing it all right.' Connie kissed him again. Then she, in her turn, looked at the clock. 'May I say that Mr. Chance has been gone ever so long, and that you made me stay with you?' 'Yes,' said Fricker, rather amused. 'Good-night, you darling,' cried Connie, and danced out of the room. 'Rum creatures!' ejaculated Fricker. 'She's got a head on her shoulders, though.' On the whole he was well pleased. But he had the discernment to wonder how Beaufort Chance would feel about the matter the next morning. He chuckled at this idea at first, but presently his peculiar smile regained its sway--the same smile that he wore when he considered the case of Trix Trevalla and Glowing Stars. 'What Beaufort thinks of it,' he concluded as he went up to bed, 'won't be quite the question.' He found Mrs. Fricker not at all displeased with Connie. CHAPTER XIII JUSTIFICATION NUMBER FOUR