"And what would you like?" asked Elinor, thinking that the child's mind had slid away from the Valois family.
"I'd like to make the people in the fairy garden happy."
"But, a check's the same as money," her mother explained. "You just said yourself he isn't the kind of man—"
"Oh, but I wouldn't give him the check," Angel cut in, importantly. "I—I'd lend it to him. No, I mean I'd lend him all he'd paid the nasty man who really owned the garden. And then I'd buy the garden from the nasty man myself if I had enough left, or 54 if I hadn't I'd ask you to. And when the garden was ours, the children's father could have it rented to him, couldn't he? Wouldn't that be a good idea?"
"A splendid idea," said Elinor, "But what do you know about rents and such things?"
"I heard grown-up Suze talk about them to Paul," explained Angel, calmly.
"What a head she has! Is it not so, Madame!" cried Rose, working up to the favor she meant to beg for to-morrow.
"Grandpa is always saying I have a great business head," Angel remarked, with extreme self-satisfaction. "And, Mummy, if you think it's a splendid idea, can't we go out now and 'range it all with Paul and Suze? I should love to. It's the only thing I'd like to make my Christmas happy with grandpa's money. If we went in a carriage and made the horses run fast maybe we could see the Christmas tree."
Again the small, hard voice whispered in Elinor's ear. "Yes, you could see the Christmas tree, which Paul Valois is rich enough to 55 decorate. Then you will know for certain if he rings true."
She did already know "for certain"; the best side of her reminded the other side. But Angel was clamoring, spoiled-child fashion, for her to say "yes," so she said it. Conscience and inclination and the child's pleading forced it from her, and the rest followed like a whirlwind. Angel seized her lately discarded hat and coat. Mademoiselle rang for a servant to call a cab. Elinor hurried off to get ready. And in less than ten minutes they were on their way to the fairy garden, without having so much as opened father's present from Paris.