She laughed.
"You're really rather a dear!" she declared. "Do you know I am thinking of starting in business for myself?"
"Where, and what as?" Mr. Bundercombe inquired.
I shook open an evening paper and heard no more. The girl's leavetaking, however, a few minutes later, was both reluctant and impressive. I felt it my duty to allude to the matter as soon as we were alone.
"You know, sir," I said, "this helping young women to set up in business is a proceeding that's very likely to be misunderstood over here. I am not in the least sure that even Eve would quite approve."
Mr. Bundercombe smiled the smile of a man of the world.
"One can't tell one's womenkind everything!" he declared grandiloquently.
I was a little puzzled. I felt convinced that Mr. Bundercombe was concealing something from me.
"Furthermore," I continued, feeling it my duty to speak frankly to my future father-in-law, "a man of your position needs to be very careful when he has financial transactions with a good-looking young woman like Miss Blanche. The young lady herself might take advantage of it."
Mr. Bundercombe appeared to be giving my words full consideration.