You must know thatFather gets deeper into debt all
the time. Nowthe hard facts of country life were upon her.
Ive made all the arrangements, andif I put it off I
lose a years crop. Women like Pauline have a secret respect forromantic
chapters.
He began asking her to tell him about the operasshe
had heard in Chicago. She rose with a sigh and wentover to the piano. She gave the
old songs, even the most hackneyed, their full value. It had onlyknocked him out of
his course one block, his pride told him; thatwasnt much of a knock! >From the far
end, where she was lying,Lucy looked down through the rows of knotty, twisted trees.
Perhaps by March she wouldhave lost her courage and be sunk in apathy
again.
It is more important that she does her music well
and sits at thepiano where I can watch her.
Lucy couldnt dismiss thingsof that kind lightly as
she used to. I learned something besides music last winter, Lucy replied as shewent
downstairs. Herfathers seemed to be the only honest voice in town.
It was Fathers own idea that I should study
music.
She had in her handbag a draftfrom Chicago, for the
balance she had left on deposit there. I got along on less than most ofthe
students.
At least, it wasnt so bad as somepeople thought;
the man hadnt jilted her.
And you certainly have kept us in the dark. I have
to turn some trick, to keep theplace going.