"I'd excuse you for mentioning anything; but even Mrs. Wappinger ought
to have justice. You know as well as I do that Uncle James wanted to
marry her, and that it was only her own common-sense that saved us from
having her as an aunt. You may not admire her type, but you can't deny
that it's one which has a legitimate place in American civilization.
Ours isn't a society that can afford to exclude the self-made man, or
his widow."

"That may be quite true, Derek; only in that case you have also to
reckon with--his son."

Derek bounded away once more, making manifest efforts to control himself
before he spoke again.

"You know this subject is most distasteful to me, Lucilla," he said,
severely.

"I know it is; and it's equally so to me. But I see what's going on, and
you don't--there's the difference. What should a young man like you know
about bringing up a school-girl? To see you intrusted with her at all
makes me very nearly doubt the wisdom of the ends of Providence. She's a
good little girl by nature, but your indulgence would spoil an angel."

"I don't indulge her. I've forbidden her to do lots of things."

"Exactly; you come down on the poor thing when she's not doing any harm,
and you put no restrictions on the things in which she's wilful. If
there's a girl on earth who is being brought up backward, it's Dorothea
Pruyn."

"She's my child. I presume I've got a right to do what I like with her."

"You'll find that you've done what you don't like with her, when you've
allowed her to get into a ridiculous, unmaidenly flirtation with the
young man Wappinger."

"I shouldn't let that distress me if I were you. As far as Dorothea is
concerned, your young man Wappinger doesn't exist."

"That's as it may be," Miss Lucilla sniffed, now on the brink of tears.

"That's as it is," he insisted, picking up his hat.

"It's to be regretted," he added, with dignity, as he took his leave,
"that on this subject you and I cannot see alike; but I think you may
trust me not to endanger the happiness of my child."

* * * * *

Even if Diane could have transcended space to assist at this brief
interview, she would probably have missed its bearing on herself; but
had she transported her spirit at the same instant to still another
scene, the effect would have been more enlightening. While she still
stood watching the rise and dip of the steamer's bow, Mrs. Wappinger, in
a larger and more el