"Very well, just supposing—but why should you even suppose such a plan? Why should you want to take over a proposition which has been demonstrably unprofitable, even in skilled hands?"
"How about Mr. Waring, and this man Ralston, and Anderson LeGore?"
"But they're very wealthy."
"Yes, but so am I wealthy," she said ingenuously.
He was momentarily nonplussed. "But they would manage it for a purpose, rather than for profit," he cried.
"Well, suppose I wanted to manage it for a purpose rather than for profit?"
Baker rose and put his hand on her shoulder, as a suspicion took form in his mind. "Judith—you're not ... serious?"
She tossed her head and smiled enigmatically. "And if I were?"
He had no reply ready for that elfish question, so obviously, it seemed to him, designed for the purpose of arousing him to argument. And when he was silent, that guess seemed to be confirmed, for Judith's momentary animation faded. She put her question quite indifferently.
"I suppose there's nothing for me to do, is there?"