"Persons," said Fair, "his scheme will end in loss to his friends and in ruin to him."
"And would that be"—Barbara rose dreamily—"a real service to pop-a?"
Fair gave his arm. "I think it the best you can render; only, your father——" He began to smile, but she lifted a glance as utterly without fear as without hardihood and said:
"I understand. He must never know it's been done."
"That's more than I meant," he replied, as Fannie Halliday came up. The two girls went for their wraps.
"March?" said Ravenel, as he and Fair waited to escort them home. "O, no, he left some time ago with his mother."
On the way to the Halliday cottage Fair said to Barbara:
"I'm glad of the talk we've had."
"You can afford to be so, Mr. Fair. It showed your generosity against the background of my selfishness."
"Selfishness? Surely it isn't selfish to show a daughter's care and affection for a father."