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d biting enough to tickle the ears of the common reader。 The editor offered her a salary equal to her whole income for a weekly column of such fooling。
She had hoarded every penny of this money。 With it she meant to pay her expenses in Europe and to support George in his year at Oxford。 The work and the salary were to go on while she was gone。
It was easy enough to hide all of these things from her son while he was in Cambridge and she in Delaware。 But now？ What if he should find out that his mother was the Quigg〃 of the New York ； a paper which he declared to be unfit for a gentleman to read？
She was looking out to sea and thinking of this when her cousin； Miss Vance； came up to her。 Miss Vance was a fashionable teacher in New York； who was going to spend a year abroad with two wealthy pupils。 She was a thin woman； quietly dressed； white hair and black brows； with gold eye…glasses bridging an aquiline nose； gave her a commanding； inquisitorial air。
〃Well； Frances！〃 she began briskly； 〃I have not had time before to attend to you。 Are your bags hung in your stateroom？〃
〃I haven't been down yet；〃 said Mrs。 Waldeaux meekly。 〃We were watching the fog in the sun。〃
〃Fog！ Mercy on me！ You know you may be ill any minute； and your room not ready！ Of course； you did not take the bromides that I sent you a week ago？
〃No； Clara。〃
Miss Vance glanced at her。 〃Well； just as you please。 I've done what I could。 Let me look at your itinerary。 You will be too ill for me to advise you about it later。〃
〃Oh； we made none！〃 said George gayly； coming up to his mother's aid。 〃We are going to be vagabonds； and have no plans。 Mother's soul draws us to York Cathedral； and mine to the National Gallery。 That is all we know。〃
〃I thought you had given up that whim of being an artist？〃 said Miss Vance； sharply facing on him。
Young Waldeaux reddened。 〃Yes； I have given it up。 I know as well as you do that I have no talent。 I am going to study my profession at Oxford； and earn my bread by it。〃
〃Quite right。 You never would earn it by art；〃 she said decisively。 〃How long do you stay in York； Frances？〃
〃Oh； a day； or a monthoryears； as we please；〃 said Frances； lazily turning her head away。 She wanted to set Clara Vance down in her proper place。 Mrs。 Waldeaux abhorred cousinly intimatespeople who run into your back door to pry into the state of your larder or your income。 But Miss Vance； as Frances knew； unfortunately held a key to her back door。 She knew of George's wretched daubs； and his insane desire； when he was a boy； to study art。 He gave it up years ago。 Why should she nag him now about it？ By virtue of her relationship she knew； too； all of Mrs。 Waldeaux's secrets。 It was most unfortunate that she should have chosen to sail on this vessel。
〃Well； mother；〃 George said； uneasy to get away； 〃no doubt Miss Vance is right。 We should set things in order。 I am going now to give my letter of credit to the purser to lock up； shall I take yours？〃
Mrs。 Waldeaux did not reply at once。 〃No；〃 she said at last。 〃I like to carry my own purse。〃
He smiled indulgently as on a child。 〃Of course； dear。 It IS your own。 My father was wise in that。 But； on this journey； I can act as your paymaster； can't I？ I have studied foreign money〃
〃We shall see。 I can keep it as safe as any purser now；〃 she said； obstinately shaking her head。
He laughed and walked away。
〃You have not told him； then？〃 demanded Clara。
〃No。 And I never will。 I will not hurt the boy by letting him know that his mother has supported him； and remember； Clara； that he can only hear it through you。 Nobody knows that I am ‘Quigg' but you。〃
Miss Vance lifted her eyebrows。 〃Nothing can need a lie；〃 she quoted calmly。 Presently she said earnestly； 〃Frances； you are making a mistake。 Somebody ought to tell you the truth。 There is no reason why your whole being should be buried in that man。 He should stand on his own feet； now。 You can be all that he needs as a mother； and yet live out your own life。 It is broader than his will ever be。 At your age； and with your capabilities； you should marry again。 Think of the many long years that are before you。〃
〃I have thought of them；〃 said Mrs。 Waldeaux slowly。 〃I have had lovers who came close to me as friends； but I never for a moment was tempted to marry one of them。 No； Clara。 When the devil drove my father to hand me overinnocent child as I wasto a man like Robert Waldeaux； he killed in me the capacity for that kind of love。 It is not in me。〃 She turned her strenuous face to the sea and was silent。 〃It is not in me；〃 she repeated after a while。 〃I have but one feeling； and that is for my boy。 It is growing on me absurdly； too。〃 She laughed nervously。 〃I used to be conscious of other people in the world； but now； if I see a boy or man； I see only what George was or will be at his age； if I read a book； it only suggests what George will say of it。 I am like one of those plants that have lost their own sap and color； and suck in their life from another。 It scares me sometimes。〃
Miss Vance smiled with polite contempt。 No doubt Frances had a shrewd business faculty； but in other matters she was not ten years old。
〃And George will marry some time；〃 she said curtly。
〃Oh； I hope so！ And soon。 Then I shall have a daughter。 I know just the kind of a wife George will choose；〃 she chattered on eagerly。 〃I understand him so thoroughly that I can understand her。 But where could he find her？ He is so absurdly fastidious！〃
Miss Vance was silent and thoughtful a moment。 Then she came closer。 〃I will tell you where to find her；〃 she said； in a low voice。 〃I have thought of it for a long time。 It seems to me that Providence actually made Lucy Dunbar for George。〃
〃Really？〃 Mrs。 Waldeaux drew her self up stiffly。
〃Wait； Frances。 Lucy has been with me for three years。 I know her。 She is a sincere； modest； happy little thing。 Not too clever。 She is an heiress； too。 And her family is good； and all underground； which is another advantage。 You can mould her as you choose。 She loves you already。〃
〃Or is it that she？〃
〃You have no right to ask that！〃 said Miss Vance quickly。
〃No； I am ashamed of myself。〃 Mrs。 Waldeaux reddened。
A group of girls came up the deck。 Both women scanned the foremost one critically。 〃I like that wholesome； candid look of her；〃 said Miss Vance。
〃Oh； she is well enough；〃 said Frances。 〃But I am sure George does not like yellow hair。 Nothing but an absolutely beautiful woman will attract him。〃
〃An artist；〃 said Miss Vance hastily； 〃would tell you her features were perfect。 And her flesh tints〃
〃For Heaven's sake； Clara； don't dissect the child。 Who is that girl with the red cravat？ Your maid？〃
〃It is not a cravat； it's an Indian scarf。 If it only were clean〃 Miss Vance looked uneasy and perplexed。 〃She is not my maid。 She is Fraulein Arpent。 The Ewalts brought her as governess from Paris； don't you remember？ They sent the girls to Bryn Mawr last week and turned her adrift； almost penniless。 She wished to go back to France。 I engaged her as assistant chaperone for the season。