ng with emphasis. "After what you said just now, this is, of
course, our last interview of this kind. When we meet again--and I
think it would be gentlemanly in you to go and live somewhere else--you
are Mr. Marsh, and I, if you please, am Miss Denyer."

"I will bear it in mind."

"Thank you." He still lingered near the door. "Be good enough to leave
me."

He made an effort and left the room. When the door had closed, Madeline
heaved a deep sigh, and was for some minutes in a brown, if not a
black, study. Then she shivered a little, sighed again, and again took
up the volume she had been reading. It was Daudet's "Les Femmes
d'Artistes."

Not long after, all the Denyers were reunited in their sitting-room.
Mrs. Denyer had brought up an open letter.

"From your father again," she said, addressing the girls conjointly. "I
am sure he wears me out. This is worse than the last. 'The fact of the
matter is, I must warn you very seriously that I can't supply you with
as much as I have been doing. I repeat that I am serious this time.
It's a horrible bore, and a good deal worse than a bore. If I could
keep your remittances the same by doing on less myself, I would, but
there's no possibility of that. I shall be in Alexandria in ten days,
and perhaps Colossi will have some money for me, but I can't count on
it. Things have gone deuced badly, and are likely to go even worse, as
far as I can see. Do think about getting less expensive quarters. I
wish to heaven poor little Mad could get married! Hasn't Marsh any
prospects yet?'"

"That's all at an end," remarked Madeline, interrupting. "We've just
come to an understanding."

Mrs. Denyer stared.

"You've broken off?"

"Mr. Marsh's allowance is to be stopped. His prospects are worse than
ever. What's the good of keeping up our engagement?"

There was a confused colloquy between all four. Barbara shrugged her
fair shoulders; Zillah looked very gravely and pitifully at Madeline.
Madeline herself seemed the least concerned.

"I won't have this!" cried Mrs. Denyer, finally. "His step-father is
willing to give him a position in business, and he must accept it; then
the marriage can be soon."

"The marriage will decidedly _not_ be soon, mother!" replied Madeline,
haughtily. "I shall judge for myself in this, at all events."

"You are a silly, empty-headed girl!" retorted her mother, with
swelling bosom and reddening face. "You have quarrelled on some
simpleton's question, n