Let me tell you that later, when you expect
to have all these male cousins visit you, we'll reserve the privilege to
ask questions.... Ever served a jail sentence?"

"Now really--! Do I look it?"

"My dear miss, wouldn't you feel foolish if I said 'yes'? _Have_ you? I
warn you we look these things up!"

"No, I have _not_."

"Well, that's comforting.... Age?"

"Twenty-six."

"Parents living? Name nearest relatives? Nearest friends? Present
occupation?"

Even as she answered this last simple question and Mrs. Fike's
suspicious query about her salary, Una felt as though she were perjuring
herself, as though there were no such place as Troy Wilkins's
office--and Mrs. Fike knew it; as though a large policeman were secreted
behind the desk and would at any moment pop out and drag her off to
jail. She answered with tremorous carefulness. By now, the one thing
that she wanted to do was to escape from that Christian and strictly
supervised Napoleon, Mrs. Fike, and flee back to the Grays.

"Previous history?" Mrs. Fike was grimly continuing, and she followed
this question by ascertaining Una's ambitions, health, record for
insanity, and references.

Mrs. Fike closed the query-book, and observed:

"Well, you are rather fresh, but you seem to be acceptable--and now you
may look us over and see whether we are acceptable to you. Don't think
for one moment that this institution needs you, or is trying to lift you
out of a life of sin, or that we suppose this to be the only place in
New York to live. We know what we want--we run things on a scientific
basis--but we aren't so conceited as to think that everybody likes us.
Now, for example, I can see that you don't like me and my ways one bit.
But Lord love you, that isn't necessary. The one thing necessary is for
me to run this Home according to the book, and if you're fool enough to
prefer a slap-dash boarding-house to this hygienic Home, why, you'll
make your bed--or rather some slattern of a landlady will make it--and
you can lie in it. Come with me. No; first read the rules."

Una obediently read that the young ladies of the Temperance Home were
forbidden to smoke, make loud noises, cook, or do laundry in their
rooms, sit up after midnight, entertain visitors "of any sort except
mothers and sisters" in any place in the Home, "except in the parlors
for that purpose provided." They were not permitted to be out after ten
unless their names were specifically entered in th