Good Books

"You mean money?"
Lady Winsleigh smiled. "As you put it so frankly, Miss Vere--" she
began.
"Of course! I'm always frank," returned the Vere, with a loud laugh.
"Besides, what's the good of pretending? Money's the only thing worth
having--it pays your butcher, baker, and dressmaker--and how are you to
get along if you _can't_ pay them, I'd like to know! Lord! if all the
letters I've got from fools were paying stock instead of waste-paper,
I'd shut up shop, and leave the Brilliant to look out for itself!"
Lady Winsleigh felt she had gained her object, and she could now afford
to be gracious.
"That would be a great loss to the world," she remarked sweetly. "An
immense loss! London could scarcely get on without Violet Vere!" Here
she opened her purse and took out some bank-notes, which she folded and
slipped inside an envelope. "Then I may have the letter?" she continued.
"You may and welcome!" returned Violet.
Lady Winsleigh instantly held out the envelope, which she as instantly
clutched.


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