"Yes, that is so," he said so forlornly that Diana watched him curiously, and a delicate color came into her cheeks as he looked up again, eager, radiant.
"That's true," he repeated; "but if I can't do anything in that way for us among the right sort, at least the other kind will have a man to reckon with"--he glanced at Diana grimly now--"when they inquire about housekeepers, and when women whom you do not care for reply to your advertisements."
"That is rather a nice thing to say," observed Silvette, looking at him out of her dark eyes. "But we know--a number of things. We are not a bit afraid, and--you would not care to--endure the kind of people likely to employ us."
"I can endure what you can. I'd like to do it.... Would you rather not have me?"
"Why, I--it would be delightful--charming--but we had not even dreamed of such a thing."
He turned to Diana. "Will _you_ let me try?"
She said, confused: "I hadn't thought of such a thing.... Could it be done?"
"Why not?" asked Silvette, immensely interested. "When people come, we can say, 'We and our cousin, Mr. Edgerton, are associated as social entertainers.'"
"Oh, if you put it that way they'll think he does Punch and Judy and we dance queer dances!" exclaimed Diana in consternation.
Edgerton threw back his head and laughed, utterly unable to control his merriment, and Silvette caught the infection, and her clear, delicious laughter filled the sunny studio. She showed her white teeth when she laughed.
"Oh, it is perfectly horrid of me to think of such a thing, but I can't help thinking of three trained acrobats," said Silvette, breathless. "_Does_ it seem funny for three of us to be associated in entertaining guests? _Does_ it, Mr. Edgerton? Or am I only frivolous?"
After their laughter had ceased, and their breath had returned, he said: "Wherever we go--whoever employs us--the other guests will suppose us to be guests, too. Only the guilty millionaire from outer darkness with a new house on Fifth Avenue and a newer one in the country will know."
Silvette said: "Do you realize that it is perfectly dear of you to propose such a thing?"
Silvette went on: "I know perfectly well and you know, too--that your name would be worth almost anything to the wealthy snob who employs us."