"But, isn't he lovely?"
"He's a Sevenoaks pauper."
"You astonish me."
"I tell you the truth, and Balfour has managed, in some way, to get hold of him, and means to make money out of me by it. I know men. You can't tell me anything about men; and my excellent neighbor will have his hands full, whenever he sees fit to undertake his job."
"Tell me all about it now," said Mrs. Dillingham, her eyes alight with genuine interest.
"Not now, but I'll tell you what I would like to have you do. You have a way of making boys love you, and men too—for that matter—and precious little do they get for it."
"Candid and complimentary," she sighed.
"Well, I've seen you manage with my boys, and I would like to have you try it with him. Meet him in the street, manage to speak to him, get him into your house, make him love you. You can do it. You are bold enough, ingenious enough, and subtle enough to do anything of that kind you will undertake. Some time, if you have him under your influence, you may be of use to me. Some time, he may be glad to hide in your house. No harm can come to you in making his acquaintance."
"Do you know that you are talking very strangely to me?"
"No. I'm talking business. Is that a strange thing to a woman?"