"All right, I will," smiled Betty. To herself she said: "Poor mother! As if I wouldn't work my fingers off before I'd fail her, when she cares so much--when she _needs_ so much--what I earn!" Then, aloud, cheerily, she began:-- [Illustration: "SO I RANG THE BELL."] "Well, first, I walked up that long, long walk through that beautiful lawn to the house; but for a minute I didn't ring the bell. It was so beautiful--the view from that veranda, with the sun on the reds and browns and yellows of the trees everywhere! Then I remembered suddenly that I hadn't come to make a call and admire the view, but that I was a business woman now. So I rang the bell. There was a lovely old brass knocker on the great door; but I saw a very conspicuous push-button, and I concluded that was for real use." "Yes, yes. And were you--frightened, dear?" "Well, 'nervous,' we'll call it. Then, as I was planning just what to say, the door opened and the oldest little old man I ever saw stood before me." "Yes, go on!" "He was the butler, I found out afterwards. They called him Benton. He seemed surprised, somehow, to see me, or frightened, or something. Anyway, he started queerly, as his eyes met mine, and he muttered a quick something under his breath; but all I could hear was the last, 'No, no, it couldn't be!'" "Yes--yes!" breathed Helen, her face a little white. "The next minute he became so stiff and straight and dignified that even his English cousin might have envied him. I told him I was Miss Darling, and that I had a note to Mr. Denby from Dr. Gleason. "'Yes, Miss. The master is expecting you. He said to show you right in. This way, please,' he said then, pompously. And then I saw that great hall. Oh, mother, if you could see it! It's wonderful, and so full of treasures! I could hardly take off my hat and coat properly, for devouring a superb specimen of old armor right in front of me. Then Benton took me into the library, and I saw--something even more wonderful." "You mean your--er--Mr. Denby?" The mother's face was aglow. Betty gave a merry laugh. "Indeed, I don't! Oh, he was there, but he was no wonder, mother, dear. The wonder was cabinet after cabinet filled with jades and bronzes and carved ivories and Babylonian tablets and-- But I couldn't begin to tell you! I couldn't even begin to see for myself, for, of course, I had to say something to Mr. Denby." "Of course! And tell me--what was he--he like?" "Oh, he was just a man, tall and stern-looking, and a little gray. He's old, you know. He isn't young at all"--spoken with all the serene confidence of Betty's eighteen years. "He has nice eyes, and I imagine _he'd_ be nice, if he'd let himself be. But he won't." "Why, Betty, what--what do you mean?" Betty laughed and shrugged her shoulders. "Oh, mother, dear, you'd have to see him really to know. It's just that--that he's so used to having his own way that he takes it as a matter of course, as his right." "Oh, my dear!"