He shook his head.

“Of course I couldn’t let him do it.”

“Couldn’t you?”

“Do you think I could?”

“Not if you think differently.  You’re the only judge.”

“But if I don’t, you know, papa will have to go—­” She hesitated.  “You know what would happen, don’t you?”

“I suppose I do.”

“And I could prevent it, you see, if I let papa take this money.  I have to assume the responsibility of its refusal.  It puts me in a position that I’m beginning to feel—­well, rather terrible.”

“Does it?”

“You don’t seem very much interested, Cousin Rodney.  I hoped you’d give me some advice.”

“Oh, I never give advice.  Besides, if you’ve got into the Street called Straight, I don’t see why you need advice from any one.”

“I do.  The Street called Straight is all very well, but—­”

“Then you’re not so sure, after all.”

“I’m sure in a way.  If it weren’t for papa I shouldn’t have any doubt whatever.  But it seems so awful for me to drive him into what I don’t think he’d do of his own accord.”  She went on to explain Davenant’s offer in detail.  “So you see,” she concluded, “that papa’s state of mind is peculiar.  He agrees with me that the higher thing would be not to take the money; and yet if I gave him the slightest encouragement he would.”

“And you’re not going to?”

“How could I, Cousin Rodney?  How could I put myself under such an obligation to a man I hardly know?”

“He could probably afford it.”

“Is he so very rich?” There was a hint of curiosity in the tone.

Rodney Temple shrugged his shoulders.  “Oh, rich enough.  It would pretty well clean him out; but, then, that would do him good.”

“Do him good—­how?”

“He’s spoiling for work, that fellow is.  Since he’s had all that money he’s been of no use to himself or to anybody else.  He’s like good capital tied up in a stocking instead of being profitably invested.”

“And yet we could hardly put ourselves in a humiliating situation just to furnish Mr. Davenant with an incentive for occupation, could we, Cousin Rodney?”

“I dare say not.”

“And he isn’t offering us the money merely for the sake of getting rid of it, do you think?”

“Then what is he offering it to you for?”

“That’s exactly what I want to know.  Haven’t you any idea?”

“Haven’t you?”

She waited a minute before deciding to speak openly.  “I suppose you never heard that he once asked me to marry him?”

He betrayed his surprise by the way in which he put down the little Chinese figure and wheeled round more directly toward her.

“Who?  Peter?”

She nodded.

“What the dickens made him do that?”

She opened her eyes innocently.  “I’m sure I can’t imagine.”

“It isn’t a bit like him.  You must have led him on.”