"Because I did not intend to play blindly."
He shifted his glance, gazing moodily out of the window until, with a pucker of his lips, he said condescendingly:
"Blindly, Sheila? I thought you more clever than that. You missed a trick. We must quarrel before him. If you had obeyed me I should have pooh-poohed your extravagant ideas. We would have been at once on bad terms. Do what I tell you another time."
"Why, what is the use?"
"To work into his confidence and get rid of his infernal jealousy, my dear."
"But why make him stingy? Certainly that's not our game."
"That's but temporary," he said after a long pause.
"Now be frank with me," she said anxiously. "What are you trying to do? You've got a new plan, haven't you?"
"None whatever," he said with emphasis. "One may come. On my honor, I have nothing in mind now but to work into his confidence and become the friend of the family. The advantage to us is obvious."