'You know. A fellow that's anyhow jolly. What are all these things here for?'
'If I were you,' said Hazel, 'I would make Mr. Charteris so "jolly" (lend me your word for once) that he would be delighted to have me say "Jack." '
'I don't want him to be delighted,' said Josephine, 'nor to call him Jack. And a man that smokes all the time can't be made jolly. He didn't use to let me see it, you know; and now he don't care. He ought to live in a house by himself, that's all chimney!'
'Counter attractions would work a cure,' said Wych Hazel, ready to laugh at her own suddenly developed wisdom. 'If you make yourself disagreeable, Josephine, I should think he would smoke, and hide you in a haze.'
'I don't!' said the girl indignantly. 'And nothing on earth will cure a man who smokes. He likes it better than anything except money; far better than me. Try to get your husband'
Josephine broke suddenly off. The door had opened noiselessly, and Mrs. Powder entered, followed immediately by Miss Molly Seaton.
Greetings and congratulations passed of course, according to form.
'Dane is not at home, my dear?' said the elder lady.
'Husbands are not gallant in these days, mamma,' said Josephine.
'But Mr. Rollo is!' said Molly rashly.