She hesitated a moment, then faced him squarely.
"There can be no question of your either pleasing or offending me, Mr. Ronald. What you are doing for Martha makes me glad, of course, but that is only because I rejoice in any good that may come to her. I would not take it upon myself to praise you for doing a generous act, or to blame you if you didn't do it."
"'Cr-r-rushed again!'" observed Francis Ronald gravely, but with a lurking, quizzical light of laughter in his eyes.
For an instant Claire was inclined to be resentful. Then, her sense of humor coming to the rescue, she dropped her heroics and laughed out blithely.
"How jolly it must be to have a lot of money and be able to do all sorts of helpful, generous things!" she said lightly.
"You think money the universal solvent?"
"I think the lack of it the universal _in_solvent."
"I hope you don't lay too much emphasis on it."
"Why?"
"Because it might lead you to do violence to your better impulses, your higher instincts."