h means that
you're not married, Rue."

"Does it?"

"I think so. Ask a lawyer, anyway. There may be steps to take--I don't
know. All the same--do you really want to go to France and study art?
Do you really mean to sail on this ship?"

"Yes."

"You feel confidence in yourself? You feel sure of yourself?"

"Yes."

"You've got the backbone to see it through?"

"Yes. It's got to be done."

"All right, if you feel that way." He made no move, however, but sat
there watching her. After a while he looked at his watch again:

"I'm going to ring up a taxi," he said. "You might as well go on board
and get some sleep. What time does she sail?"

"At five thirty, I believe."

"Well, we haven't so very long, then. There's my bedroom--if you want
to fix up."

She rose wearily.

When she emerged from his room with her hat and gloves on, the taxicab
was audible in the street below.

Together they descended the dark stairway up which she had toiled with
trembling knees. He carried her suitcase, aided her into the taxi.

"Cunard Line," he said briefly, and entered the cab.

Already in the darkness of early morning the city was awake; workmen
were abroad; lighted tramcars passed with passengers; great wains,
trucks, and country wagons moved slowly toward markets and ferries.

He had begun to tell her almost immediately all that he knew about
Paris, the life there in the students' quarters, methods of living
economically, what to seek and what to avoid--a homily rather hurried
and condensed, as they sped toward the pier.

She seemed to be listening; he could not be sure that she understood
or that her mind was fixed at all on what he was saying. Even while
speaking, numberless objections to her going occurred to him, but as
he had no better alternatives to suggest he did not voice them.

In his heart he really believed she ought to go back to Brookhollow.
It was perfectly evident she would not consent to go there. As for her
remaining in New York, perhaps the reasons for her going to Paris were
as good. He was utterly unable to judge; he only knew that she ought
to have the protection of experience, and that was lacking.

"I'm going to remain on board with you," he said, "until she sails.
I'm going to try to find my very good friend, the Princess Mistchenka,
and have you meet her. She has been very kind to me, and I shall ask
her to keep an eye on you while you are crossing, and to give you a
lot of good advice."