county's
expecting something of the sort, anyway. I suppose it ought to be rather
simple--she's so young and Madame Forsyth being away. I'll raise the
child's allowance, too--let her spend it if she can, bless her heart."

His mind once more quite at ease, Cornelius Allendyce put Robin's letter
into his pocket. He would write to her the next day and to Percival
Tubbs. He ought to have consulted his sister sooner. Well, a guardian
learned something new every day, he told himself, with a smile.

* * * * *

No one had suspected the torment of thought that racked poor Robin's
head for the few days following the dinner-party. She had arisen that
next morning with the firm resolve to "be" a Forsyth, but she did not
know just what she ought to do first and there was no one to tell her.
Beryl was no more sympathetic than she had been the night before and had
answered her persistent questioning absentmindedly. However,
unknowingly, she did give two helpful hints, upon which Robin seized
gratefully.

"Mother says that what Wassumsic ought to have is a clubhouse like Miss
Lewis' place in New York. Mother took care of that, you know. Miss Lewis
is a wonder. She always declared children need fun just the way they
need milk and _she_ fixed it so that they got both."

"Oh, yes, there are ever so many boys and girls in Wassumsic only
they're mostly working in the Mills. I'd have to work there myself only
I've made Dale believe that I can do something--else. If I ever started
in the old Mills I'd be like the others. That's the way--you begin and
then you never know how to do anything different."

"I'm glad you're not there. I'm like--Dale. I know you'll be a wonderful
violinist some day!" Robin never failed to say what Beryl wanted.

Beryl tossed her head. "I could have just settled down into a drudge,
working all day and too tired at night to care what I did and saving
just enough out of my pay envelope to buy me a hair-net but I wouldn't
begin! I wouldn't! They can all call me proud and lazy but I'll show
them--old Henri Jacques and Martini himself said I would! But I've had
to fight to make people believe me--and I s'pose I'll have to go on
fighting." To the egotism of sixteen years these words sounded very
grand; it stirred Beryl to think she had fought for every advantage that
was hers, to read the admiration in Robin's eyes. She had no thought of
disloyalty in claiming the credit that really b