s of
the daughter.

It had been understood that Clara was to wait at home till her mother
should return before she again went across to Mrs. Broughton. At about
eleven Mrs. Van Siever came in, and her daughter intercepted her at
the dining-room door before she had made her way upstairs to Mr
Musselboro. "How is she, mamma?" said Clara with something of
hypocrisy in her assumed interest for Mrs. Broughton.

"She is an idiot!" said Mrs. Van Siever.

"She has had a terrible misfortune!"

"That is no reason why she should be an idiot; and she is heartless
too. She never cared a bit for him,--not a bit."

"He was a man whom it was impossible to care for much. I will go to
her now, mamma."

"Where is Musselboro?"

"He is upstairs."

"Well?"

"Mamma, that is quite out of the question. Quite. I would not marry
him to save myself from starving."

"You do not know what starving is yet, my dear. Tell me the truth at
once. Are you engaged to that painter?" Clara paused a moment before
she answered, not hesitating as to the expediency of telling her
mother any truth on the matter in question, but doubting what the
truth might really be. Could she say that she was engaged to Mr
Dalrymple, or could she say that she was not? "If you tell me a lie,
miss, I'll have you put out of the house."

[Illustration: "You do not know what starving is, my dear."]

"I certainly shall not tell you a lie. Mr. Dalrymple has asked me to
be his wife, and I have made him no answer. If he asks me again I
shall accept him."

"Then I order you not to leave this house," said Mrs. Van Siever.

"Surely I may go to Mrs. Broughton?"

"I order you not to leave this house," said Mrs. Van Siever
again,--and thereupon she stalked out of the dining-room and went
upstairs. Clara had been standing with her bonnet on, ready dressed
to go out, and the mother made no attempt to send the daughter up to
her room. That she did not expect to be obeyed in her order may be
inferred from the first words which she spoke to Mr. Musselboro. "She
has gone off to that man now. You are no good, Musselboro, at this
kind of work."

"You see, Mrs. Van, he had the start of me so much. And then being at
the West End, and all that, gives a man such a standing with a girl."

"Bother!" said Mrs. Van Siever, as her quick ear caught the sound of
the closing hall-door. Clara had stood a minute or two to consider,
and then had resolved that she would disobey her mother. She