Mr. Bullsom cut the end of a cigar thoughtfully, and motioned Louise to get him a light.
"You see, your mother and I are getting on in life," he said, "and it's a great thing to ask us to settle down in a place where there's no slipping off down to the club in the evening, and no chance of a friend dropping in for a chat. We've got to an age when we need some one to talk to. I ain't going to say that a big house in the country isn't a nice thing to have, and the gardens and that would be first-class. But it's a big move, and it ain't to be decided about all in a hurry."
"Why, father, there's the shooting," Selina exclaimed. "You're fond of that, and men will go anywhere for really good shooting, and make their wives go, too. If you could get a place with plenty of it, and a fox-covert or two on the estate, I'm perfectly certain we should be all right."
Mr. Bullsom looked still a little doubtful.
"That's all very well," he said, "but I don't want to bribe people into my house with shooting and good cooking, and nursing their blooming foxes. That ain't my idea of making friends."
"It's only breaking the ice-just at first," Selina argued. "Afterwards
I'm sure you'd find them friendly enough."
"I tell you what I shall do," Mr. Bullsom said, deliberately; "I shall consult the friend I've got coming to dinner to-night."
Selina smiled contemptuously.
"Pshaw!" she exclaimed. "What do any of them know about such things?"
"You don't know who it is," Mr. Bullsom replied, mysteriously.