But Pen looked at him so dangerously he made haste to add: "But of course you know best. You know best!"
"Put the money up," said Pen brusquely.
"But my dear...!"
"I refuse to dress myself at Mr. Riever's expense. The idea is revolting."
"You will have to have money in town to-day."
"I have a little. Enough to buy a pair of white shoes, and materials to retrim my last summer's hat. That will have to do."
"I don't see why you have to go against your obvious interests," he complained.
Pen looked at him levelly. "Let's be frank with each other, Dad. If you have any notion of Mr. Riever and I making a match of it, I beg that you will put it out of your head. The idea is preposterous!"
It made him writhe to have his secret wish dragged out into the crude light like this, nevertheless he was bound to fight for it still. "Why is it preposterous?" he demanded bridling. "He wouldn't be stooping to you?"
"Perhaps I consider that I'd be stooping!" said Pen with her chin up.