Page:The Private Life, Lord Beaupré, The Visits (New York, Harper & Brothers, 1893).djvu/119

Rh thanked her for this appreciation, and she returned to her point—that she didn't really see the advantage his accomplice could hope to enjoy as her compensation for extreme disturbance.

Guy Finninger stared. "But what extreme disturbance?"

"Why, it would take a lot of time; it might become intolerable."

"You mean I ought to pay her—to hire her for the season?"

Mary Gosselin considered him a moment. "Wouldn't marriage come cheaper at once?" she asked, with a quieter smile.

"You are chaffing me!" he sighed, forgivingly. "Of course she would have to be good-natured enough to pity me."

"Pity's akin to love. If she were good-natured enough to want to help you, she'd be good-natured enough to want to marry you. That would be her idea of help."

"Would it be yours?" Lord Beaupré asked, rather eagerly.

"You're too absurd! You must sail your own boat!" the girl answered, turning away.