"I didn't, that day, like his tone about him," Mrs. Rooth observed. "We walked a little way with Mrs. Lovick after church and she asked Miriam about her prospects and if she were working. Miriam said she had no prospects." "That wasn't very nice to me," Sherringham commented. "But when you had left us in black darkness what _were_ our prospects?" "I see. It's all right. Go on." "Then Mrs. Lovick said her brother was to be in Paris a few days and she would tell him to come and see us. He arrived, she told him and he came. _Voila_!" said Mrs. Rooth. "So that now--so far as _he_ is concerned--Miss Rooth has prospects?" "He isn't a manager unfortunately," she qualified. "Where does he act?" "He isn't acting just now; he has been abroad. He has been to Italy, I believe, and is just stopping here on his way to London." "I see; he _is_ a perfect gentleman," said Sherringham. "Ah you're jealous of him!" "No, but you're trying to make me so. The more competitors there are for the glory of bringing her out the better for her." "Mr. Dashwood wants to take a theatre," said Mrs. Rooth. "Then perhaps he's our man." "Oh if you'd help him!" she richly cried. "Help him?" "Help him to help us." "We'll all work together; it will be very jolly," said Sherringham gaily. "It's a sacred cause, the love of art, and we shall be a happy band. Dashwood's his name?" he added in a moment. "Mrs. Lovick wasn't a Dashwood." "It's his _nom de theatre_--Basil Dashwood. Do you like it?" Mrs. Rooth wonderfully inquired. "You say that as Miriam might. Her talent's catching!" "She's always practising--always saying things over and over to seize the tone. I've her voice in my ears. He wants _her_ not to have any." "Not to have any what?" "Any _nom de theatre_. He wants her to use her own; he likes it so much. He says it will do so well--you can't better it." "He's a capital adviser," said Sherringham, getting up. "I'll come back to-morrow." "I won't ask you to wait for them--they may be so long," his hostess returned. "Will he come back with her?" Peter asked while he smoothed his hat. "I hope so, at this hour. With my child in the streets I tremble. We don't live in cabs, as you may easily suppose." "Did they go on foot?" Sherringham continued. "Oh yes; they started in high spirits." "And is Mr. Basil Dashwood acquainted with Madame Carre?" "Ah no, but he longed to be introduced to her; he persuaded Miriam to take him. Naturally she wishes to oblige him. She's very nice to him--if he can do anything." "Quite right; that's the way!" Peter cheerfully rang out. "And she also wanted him to see what she can do for the great critic," Mrs. Rooth added--"that terrible old woman in the red wig." "That's what I should like to see too," Peter permitted himself to acknowledge.