"But who is she?" asked Mrs. Lightener. "I seem to have heard the name, but I don't remember meeting her."
"She was my secretary," said Bonbright. "She's a stenographer in Mr.
Lightener's office now."
"Oh," said Mrs. Lightener, and there was dubiety in her voice.
"Exactly," said Lightener.
"MOTHER!" exclaimed Hilda. "Weren't you a stenographer in the office where dad worked?"
"It isn't THAT," said Mrs. Lightener. "I wasn't thinking about the girl nor about Bonbright. I was thinking of his mother."
"That's why he's here," said Lightener. "The Family touched off a mess of fireworks. Mrs. Foote refuses to have anything to do with the girl if Bonbright marries her. Promised to see nobody else did, too. Isn't that it, Bonbright?"
"Yes."
"I don't like to mix in a family row…"
"You've GOT to, dad," said Hilda. "Of course Bonbright couldn't stand THAT." They understood her to mean by THAT the Foote family's position in the matter. "He couldn't stand it…. I expect you and mother are disappointed. You wanted me to marry Bonbright, myself…"