thought
pierced her like a knife, and she put it away from her with all her
might. Had she not chosen the better, though more barren, part? Had
she not fought a good fight? And for this hour, at least, she was
happy.

Leaving Marvel's face, her gaze traveled round the room. The actual
alterations were not many, yet they had produced harmony. The
apartment was restful now. The very walls seemed to encompass and
caress her. Perhaps it was only just, Clarissa reflected, that a woman
who had poured out her years and her strength in working and planning
for an obdurate world, should have, when her energy {192} was spent,
some such warm and tender shelter, some equable spot all flowers and
sunshine, wherein she might be tended as Marvel was tending her, so
that she might gather strength to go forth to other battles.

She turned her eyes again upon her daughter. Marvel, feeling the long
look, glanced up.

"Are you comfy? Is there anything more you want, mother?" the girl
inquired.

Clarissa shook her head. "No, nothing. Really, child, you are an
excellent nurse. Quite a--quite a Marvel! Were you born so? Where did
you get it? Not from Paul or me!"

Marvel smiled faintly to herself.

"Where did I get that name?" she parried. "I have often wondered about
that. Father could n't, or would n't, tell me."

{193}

The slow, difficult color came to Clarissa's cheeks. How many years
since she had recalled the naming of her daughter!

"There is no secret about it," she said. "When the nurse first laid
you on my arm, I saw what seemed to me such a wonder-child that I
said, Every baby in the world ought to be named Marvel. Mine shall be.--
That's all. It was just a fancy. Your father wanted to name you
Clarissa Josephine. Where did those daffodils come from? Did the Herr
Professor send them?"

Marvel nodded carelessly. This was so common a matter as to be
undeserving of comment.

Clarissa resumed her train of thought. What tact the girl had shown!
She had slipped into her mother's life easily. At the beginning she
had taken her little stand, assumed {194} her pose. "I am not a
believer in your panaceas," her manner always, and her lips once or
twice, had said, "but nothing human is alien to me. Pray shatter
society to bits and remould it nearer to the heart's desire--if you
can."

Clarissa saw no reason why Marvel should not remain with her. A couple
of legacies had increased her small income to the point where she
mig