"You may meet her to-morrow night," put in Oliver. "You are invited
to dinner at Mrs. Billy Alden's."

"I have read about Mrs. Billy in the newspapers," said Lucy. "But I
never expected to meet her. How in the world has Oliver managed to
jump so into the midst of things?"

Oliver undertook to explain; and Montague sat by, smiling to himself
over his brother's carefully expurgated account of his own social
career. Oliver had evidently laid his plans to take charge of Lucy,
and to escort her to a high seat upon the platform of Society.

"But tell me, all this will cost so much money!" Lucy protested.
"And I don't want to have to marry one of these terrible
millionaires."

She turned to Montague abruptly. "Have you got an office somewhere
down town?" she asked. "And may I come to-morrow, and see you, and
get you to be my business adviser? Old Mr. Holmes is dead, you know.
He used to be father's lawyer, and he knew all about my affairs. He
never thought it worth while to explain anything to me, so now I
don't know very well what I have or what I can do."

"I will do all I can to help you," Montague answered.

"And you must be very severe with me," Lucy continued, "and not let
me spend too much money, or make any blunders. That was the way Mr.
Holmes used to do, and since he is dead, I have positively been
afraid to trust myself about."