Mrs. Gantry paused in the act of seating herself. "Dolores! Why must you shriek out like a magpie? Will you never forget you're a tomboy?"
"I'm not, mamma. I'm simply acting as if I were one. You forget I'm a full-blown debutante. Vievie has already promised me a ball."
"Behave yourself, if you wish to attend it."
Dolores jumped to a chair and sank into it with an air of elegant languor. "Yes, mamma. This—ah—driving in moist weather is so fatiguing, don't you find it?"
Mrs. Gantry disposed herself upon the comfortable seat that she had selected, and raised her gold lorgnette. "Do not forget that the ball Genevieve has so generously promised you is to be honored by the presence—"
"Of a real live earl and a real hero, with Laffie Ashton thrown in for good—I mean, bad—measure!" cut in Dolores with enthusiasm. "You know, I asked Vievie to 'put him on her list, else he never may be kissed!'"
Again Mrs. Gantry raised her lorgnette to transfix her daughter with her cold stare. "You asked her to invite Lafayette Ashton? And you know his reputation!"
"Of course. But you mustn't ask for the details, mamma," reproved the girl. "It's best that you should not become aware of such things, my dear. Only, you know, 'boys will be boys,' and we must not lose sight of the fact that poor dear Laffie will be worth twenty millions some day—if his papa doesn't make a will. Besides, he dances divinely. Of course Earl Jimmy's mustache is simply too cute for anything, but, alas! unless Vievie clings to her heroic Tommy—"
"Tommyrot!" sniffed Mrs. Gantry. "The presumption of that low fellow!
To think of his following her to America!"
"You should have forewarned the authorities at Ellis Island, and had him excluded as dangerous—to your plans."