He reddened, and then turned an angry pallor.

"Excuse me again, Mrs.Mandel.Do you ask this from the young ladies ?" "Certainly not," she said, with the best temper, and with something in her tone that convicted Beaton of vulgarity, in putting his question of her authority in the form of a sneer.

"As I have suggested, they would hardly know how to help themselves at all in such a matter.

I have no objection to saying that I ask it from the father of the young ladies.
Of course, in and for myself I should have no right to know anything about your affairs.

I assure you the duty of knowing isn't very pleasant." The little tremor in her clear voice struck Beaton as something rather nice.
"I can very well believe that, Mrs.Mandel," he said, with a dreamy sadness in his own.