indeed forget; but Mrs. Dallas had her own views of things, and did not
always take her husband's advice. She was not minded to follow it now,
but she was uncertain how best to begin. Pitt was busy with his own
thoughts.

'I have invited somebody to come and make your holiday pass
pleasantly,' Mrs. Dallas said at last, beginning far away from the
burden of her thoughts.

'Somebody?--whom?' asked Pitt a little eagerly, but without changing
his attitude.

'Miss Betty Frere.'

'Who is she, that she should put her hand on my holiday? I do not want
any hands but yours, mother. How often I have wanted them!'

'But Miss Frere _will_ make your time pass more pleasantly, my boy.
Miss Frere is one of the most admired women who have appeared in
Washington this year. She is a sort of cousin of your father's, too;
distant, but enough to make a connection. You will see for yourself
what she is.'

'Where did you find her out?'

'In Washington, last winter.'

'And she is coming?'

'She said she would come. I asked her to come and help me make the time
pass pleasantly for you.'

'Which means, that I must help you make the time pass pleasantly for
her.'

'That will be easy.'

'I don't know; and _you_ do not know. When is she coming?'

'In a few days, I expect her.'

'Young, of course. Well, mother, I really do not want anybody but you;
but we'll do the best we can.'

'She is handsome, and quick, and has excellent manners. She would have
made a good match last winter, at once,--if she had not been poor.'

'Are men such cads as that on this side the water too?'

'_Cads_, my dear!'

'I call that being cads. Don't you?'

'My boy, everybody cannot afford to marry a poor wife.'

'Anybody that has two hands can. Or a head.'

'It brings trouble, Pitt.'

'Does not the other thing bring trouble? It would with me! If I knew a
woman had married me for money, or if I knew I had married _her_ for
money, there would be no peace in my house.'

Mrs. Dallas laughed a little. 'You will have no need to do the latter
thing,' she said.

'Mother, nobody has any need to do it.'

'You, at any rate, can please yourself. Only'--

'Only what?' said Pitt, now laughing in his turn, and twisting his head
round to look up into her face. 'Go on, mother.'

'I am sure your father would never object to a girl because she was
poor, if you liked her. But there are other things'--

'Well, what other things?'

'Pitt, a woman has great i