arings. The Barings might have given their
suppers. As for their studio--there was no untidier jumble of old
armor and brasses and Spanish leather in Paris; and Mme. George posing
in the middle in soiled tea-gowns! But the suppers suddenly stopped,
and the leather and Persian hangings went to the Jews. I met Lisa one
day coming out of the Vendome, where she had been trying to peddle a
roll of George's sketches to the rich Americans. I asked her what was
wrong, and she laughed and said, "We were trying to make thirty francs
do the work of thirty thousand. And we have made up our minds that we
know no more of art than house painters. We are in a blind alley!"
Soon after that the baby was born. They went down to Brittany. I hear
that Lisa, since the child came, has been ill. I tell all this dreary
stuff to you thinking that you may pass it on to their folks. Somebody
ought to go to their relief.'"

"Relief!" exclaimed Miss Vance. "And the money that they were flinging
into the gutter was earned day by day by his old mother! Every dollar
of it! I know that during the last year she has done without proper
clothes and food to send their allowance to them." "You forget," said
Lucy, "that George Waldeaux was doing noble work in the world. It was
a small thing for his mother to help him."

"Noble work? His pictures or his sermons, Lucy?" demanded Miss Vance,
with a contemptuous shrug.

Lucy without reply walked out to the inn garden and seated herself in a
shady corner. There Mr. Perry found her just as the first stroke of
the angelus sounded on the air. Her book lay unopened on her lap.

He walked slowly up to her and stopped, breathing hard, as if he had
been running. "It is evening now. I have come for my answer, Miss
Dunbar," he said, forcing a smile.

"Answer?" Lucy looked up bewildered.

"You have forgotten!"

The blood rushed to her face. She held out her hands. "Oh, forgive
me! I heard bad news. I have been so troubled----"

"You forgot that I had asked you to be my wife!"

"Mr. Perry----"

"No, don't say another word, Miss Dunbar. I have had my answer. I
knew you didn't love me, but I did not think I was so paltry that you
would forget that I had offered to marry you."

Lucy pressed her hands together, looking up at him miserably without a
word. He walked down the path and leaned on the wall with his back to
her. His very back was indignant.

Presently he turned. "I will bid