To make this more effective, Kinroy was sent to tell her of her mother's
plan and beg her for her own and her family's sake not to let the final
separation come about. Mrs. Dale changed her manner. Kinroy acted his
part so effectively that what with her mother's resigned look and
indifferent method of address, Suzanne was partly deceived. She imagined
her mother had experienced a complete change of heart and might be going
to do what Kinroy said.

"No," she replied to Kinroy's pleadings, "I don't care whether she cuts
me off. I'll be very glad to sign the papers. If she wants me to go
away, I'll go. I think she has acted very foolishly through all this,
and so have you."

"I wish you wouldn't let her do that," observed Kinroy, who was rather
exulting over the satisfactory manner in which this bait was being
swallowed. "Mama is broken hearted. She wants you to stay here, to wait
six months or a year before you do anything at all, but if you won't,
she's going to ask you to do this. I've tried to persuade her not to.
I'd hate like anything to see you go. Won't you change your mind?"

"I told you I wouldn't, Kinroy. Don't ask me."

Kinroy went back to his mother and reported that Suzanne was stubborn as
ever, but that the trick would in all probability work. She would go
aboard the train thinking she was going to Albany. Once aboard, inside a
closed car, she would scarcely suspect until the next morning, and then
they would be far in the Adirondack Mountains.

The scheme worked in part. Her mother, as had Kinroy, went through this
prearranged scene as well as though she were on the stage. Suzanne
fancied she saw her freedom near at hand. Only a travelling bag was
packed, and Suzanne went willingly enough into the auto and the train,
only stipulating one thing--that she be allowed to call up Eugene and
explain. Both Kinroy and her mother objected, but, when finally she
refused flatly to go without, they acceded. She called him up at the
office--it was four o'clock in the afternoon, and they were leaving at
five-thirty--and told him. He fancied at once it was a ruse, and told
her so, but she thought not. Mrs. Dale had never lied to her before,
neither had her brother. Their words were as bonds.

"Eugene says this is a trap, mama," said Suzanne, turning from the phone
to her mother, who was near by. "Is it?"

"You know it isn't," replied her mother, lying unblushingly.

"If it is, it will come to nothing," she repl