ot wish to marry Mr. Craig, still it was nice of
him to admire her; it was nice to have a new hat; it was pleasant to
visit the San Jose convent, with Miss Toland, and be petted by the nuns.
So Julia cheated herself, as youth forever cheats itself, with the
lesser joys.

She went home for three or four days at the time of her father's death,
and afterward deliberately decided not to accompany her mother on a trip
south. Emeline had nine thousand dollars of life insurance, and thought
of buying a half interest in a boarding-house in Los Angeles.

"All the theatrical trade goes there," said Emeline, "and you could get
a berth as easy as not!"

"Yes, I know," Julia said, gently, concealing an inward shudder. She
went quietly back to The Alexander, when the funeral was over, to her
mother's disgust. Emeline did not go south, but lingered on at home,
drinking tea and gossiping with her mother, quarrelling with her old
father, and gradually eating into her bank account. She called upon her
daughter, to Julia's secret embarrassment, though the girl introduced
this overdressed, sallow, hard-eyed mother with what dignity she could
muster to Miss Pierce, Miss Scott, and Miss Toland. Emeline laughed and
talked with an air of ease, was forced into silence when Julia said the
closing prayer, and burst out laughing at its close.

"That does sound so funny, dolling! But I mustn't laugh," said Emeline.
"I'm sure you do wonders for these girls, and they need it," she added
graciously to Miss Toland. She followed Julia into the little kitchen.

"Don't she help you cook?" she asked in a low tone, indicating Miss
Toland with a jerk of her much-puffed head.

"Sometimes she does," Julia answered, annoyed.

"H'm!" Emeline said. And she asked curiously a moment later, "Why you do
it is what gets me! Here's Marguerite going to get married, and Ev has
an elegant job, and I want you to go south with me; you'd have a _grand_
time!"

She stopped on a complaining note, her eyes honestly puzzled. Julia
closed the oven door upon some potatoes, and stood up.

"I'm perfectly satisfied, Mama," said she briefly. "I'm doing what I
want to do."

"Lord!" Emeline ejaculated, discontentedly, vaguely baffled by the
girl's definiteness and dignity. She left soon after, Julia dutifully
walking with her to her car. Miss Toland said nothing of the visitor
when Julia came back, but she knew the girl was troubled, and lay awake
a long time herself that ni