if she will ever be fast."

"Fast!" echoed Magdalena, a street of painted women flashing into
memory; she knew of no degrees. "Helena! How can you think of such a
thing in connection with her!"

Ila laughed softly. "You baby!" she said.

Tiny frowned. "You know, Ila," she said coldly, "that I do not like to
talk of such things."

"Well, you need not," said Ila, coolly.

Tiny lifted her brows. "I think you know you cannot talk to me of what I
do not wish to hear," she said with great dignity.

Magdalena turned to her, the warm light of approval in her eyes; and
Ila, unabashed, rose and said, "I think I'll go over and talk scandal
for awhile," and joined the older women, whose numbers had been
reinforced.

Magdalena longed to ask Tiny if she really had improved, but was too
shy. Tiny said almost directly,--

"You look _so_ intellectual, 'Lena. Are you? I feel quite afraid."

"Oh, no, no!" replied Magdalena, hastily, "I really know very little; I
wish I knew more." She hesitated a moment; it was difficult for her to
expand even to the playmate of her childhood, but an alluring prospect
had suddenly opened. "Of course you will have a great deal of leisure
this summer," she added. "Shall we read together?"

Tiny rose with a sweet but rather forced smile. "I am not going to let
you see how ignorant I am," she said. "But I feel very rude: I should go
over and talk to Mrs. Yorba."

When they had gone, Magdalena sat for a time staring straight before
her, unheeding her mother's comments. The snub had been prettily
administered, but it had cut deep into her sensitiveness. She realised
that she was quite unlike these other girls of her own age, had never
been like them; it was not Europe that had made the difference. "I would
not care," she thought, "if they would keep away from me altogether. I
have what I care much more for. But I must see them nearly every day and
try to interest them. And I know they will find me as dull as when I
gave those dreadful luncheons."

She was recalled by a direct observation of her mother's.

"Your washed cross-barred muslin looked very plain beside their French
things, but I do not think it worth while to get you any new clothes at
present. But do not let it worry you. Remember that what _we_ do seems
right to every one. We can afford to dress exactly as we choose."

"It does not worry me," replied Magdalena.

XIV

Whether or not to tell her parents of her determination