Madame smiled her contempt: "Nevertheless you will risk all just to show Anna--"
Flora made a gesture of delight but harkened on--
"That she cannot have her Captain till--"
"Till I'm sure I don't want him!" sang the girl.
"Which will never be!" came the quiet response.
The maiden flushed: "On the contrary, my dear, I was just going to say, you will please begin at once to be more civil to our Captain--Irby."
Madame gazed: "My God!"
"Ho!" said Flora, "I'd rather somebody else's." She cheerily smoothed the bonnet-bows under the old lady's chin: "Now, chère, you know the assets are all you care for--even if with them you have to take a nincompoop for a grandson."
She was laughing merrily when Irby reappeared in the crowd, motioning that he had found nothing. Her gloved hands raised in fond apology, and Hilary's absence, appeased him, and he entered the vehicle.
So to Jackson Square, where it was good-by to Irby and the carriage, and Age and Beauty climbed their staircase together. "To-morrow's Saturday," gayly sighed the girl. "I've a good mind to lie abed till noon, counting up the week's successes."