"I've noticed that. But about the Prince?"
"Can't you guess how he got his automobile just in the nick of time?"
"Yes, I can guess; but maybe it wouldn't be right."
"And maybe it would. Let's see."
"Well, the Countess heard favourably from her lawyer in Denver on Tuesday, and paid down something in advance for the Dalmatian estate."
"And the title. Right first time. The 'something' was eight thousand dollars."
"Phew!"
"That's just the word for it. When she's seen the place, she'll pay the rest—eight thousand more. Quite a lot for those gold crowns on the luggage; but we all have our dolls with eyes to open or shut, and poor Mamma hasn't had any chance to play dolls till just lately. She's busy now having heaps of fun, and I'm having a little, too, in my simple childish way. Well, so long as we don't interfere with each other!... The Prince sees that Mamma can afford to buy dolls, so he would like to play with her, and me, and—"
"And he doesn't want Barrymore and me in the playroom."
"I thought you were bright! It made him just sick to think of you two walking off with us from under his nose. There was his automobile in Paris, and there was he here, perfectly useless, because I'm sure he'd lent the auto to his uncle."