plenty of money, even after I've paid Hiram
all he wants for the blessed machine--sounds like a sewing machine on
the hire system, don't it?

"As I am, I'm my own mistress," said our little ex-maid-servant
exultantly. "Go where I like, do what I like----"

"Except for being arrested and put into prison," I put in ruefully.

"Ow! That about the old ruby. Hiram'll fix that yet, see if he don't,"
said Miss Million, in tones of pride--family pride, I suppose.

"But, as I was saying, while I'm single I can go about as I choose,
nobody saying a word to me. And nobody can twit me with being an old
maid, neither, for when a lady's got money there's no such thing! So
there's one reason gone why she should worry to get married. After all,
what does a gel get married for, mostly?"

I waited expectantly.

"Home of her own," went on Miss Million oracularly. "And I can get that
any day of the week. Two or three I can get. I've been looking at some
o' these illustrated ad-verts in the papers.

"And, Smith, d'you know there's a place down in Wales that u'd suit me
down to the ground if I want a bit of a change, furnished and all. I
always liked the idea of Wales. I'll ask Hiram's advice about that
house."

This reminded me of another young man who had once hoped to have his
advice asked for on subjects of this nature by the little heiress before
me. Poor Mr. Burke, once hero-worshipped by this funny little Dollar
Princess!

I couldn't understand her.

I had to remind her gently: "It isn't only a home of her own, surely,
that a girl's thinking of when she gets married. I--I never thought you
thought so, either, Miss Million. What about--what about being in love
with the man?"

Hereupon my young mistress, sitting there on the corner of the pink
hotel couch, proceeded to give me some (changed) views of her own on the
subject of love.

"It's all very well, but love is not what it's cracked up to be in those
tales out of the Celandine novelettes that I used ter be so fonder
readin'," she said decidedly. "The fack is, I've had some. Look how gone
I was on that Mr. Burke. Fair sloppin' over with love, as they call it."

"Miss Million, dear, do try not to talk quite so--err--quite like that,"
I ventured mildly. But my mistress was no longer to be guided by what I
thought suitable or unsuitable expressions to come from the mouth of a
young lady of fortune.

"Hiram thinks I talk lovely, and what's good enough for him ought to