is not
very great," implored Elise.

"Nonsense, Elise; I have crossed the ocean innumerable times and never
get chairs. There are always enough seasick people who have to stay in
their bunks, and since I abhor waste, I use their chairs. As you say,
the expense is not very great, but if I do not save in small ways I
cannot make ends meet and keep up appearances and that is most
important, until you see fit to catch a husband."

All this was in an aside to her daughter, who seemed accustomed to such
remarks and coolly helped herself to stuffed mangoes without deigning
any reply. But after brooding a few seconds she spoke:

"Do you think that the chair episode on deck before dinner was 'keeping
up appearances' very well?"

"And so you have your eye on young Mr. Kinsella, have you?"

"Not at all, Mamma, and you know I haven't. In the first place, Pierce
Kinsella is years younger than I am, and while he is tremendously clever
with his brush, he is not the intellectual man I must have or do
without."

"Never mind your age. If you do not mind being frank on the subject, you
must have some consideration for me, who am your unwilling mother. No
one will ever believe I was a mere school girl when I married George
O'Brien. If I should not keep up appearances for young Kinsella, who was
it, please? Surely not that Miss Smith!"

"Miss Brown, Mamma, Molly Brown. She is a lovely girl and a perfect
lady; and what will have more weight with you, she is a friend of the
Stewarts. Pierce Kinsella told me it was at Mr. Stewart's request that
she and her mother were put next to the Captain and they have the best
stateroom the ship affords."

"Ah, dead-heads, I surmise."

"Not at all. They had their tickets and stateroom engaged and did not
know of the honor done them until Pierce Kinsella told them himself. I
fancy we are the only dead-heads on board."

"Elise, I will not have you be so cynical. Mr. Stewart is a connection
of mine and I am entitled to some consideration from him," snapped the
mother.

"Yes, I know, a very close connection: Mr. Huntington's first wife's
cousin-in-law. For that reason, you must have transportation free on a
line of steamers Mr. Stewart is interested in; but you had to send me to
ask for the favor, and I'll tell you now what I did not tell you before
for fear of hurting your feelings, that Mr. Stewart said he was glad to
do it for my sake."

The last was a poser for the angry woman, and mother