He had suspected her intention all along, and surmised that her offer was prompted partly by good-nature and partly by a recognition of the fact that the presence of a young woman of considerable wealth, who was beautiful as well as otherwise gifted, would increase the popularity of the receptions over which she was fond of presiding.
"I'm not quite sure her views and yours would coincide," he said.
"Anyway, she has been in New York before--and in England, for that matter." Mrs.Frisingham adroitly shifted her point of attack, and it almost appeared, though Stirling could not tell how, that she had heard of the camp-packer.
"Don't you think there's a certain danger of her going through the wood and choosing the crooked stick after all ?" she asked.
Stirling smiled.

"I don't know that you could call New York or London a wood.

A hothouse would be nearer it," he said with an air of reflection.

"Still, to fall in with the simile, there are no doubt plenty of sticks in both places, just as there are right here in this city.

In fact," and his eyes twinkled suspiciously, "I'm not quite sure that isn't an excellent name for them.