“Of course it’s none of my business, Lucy, but I should think you and your father would at least tell me where you are going to stay when you get to Chicago. You don’t know a soul there and you’ve never been away from home in your life.” “I told you I was going to stay with Miss Storms,” replied Lucy, repeating information she had previously offered, to which Nannie, being in a temper at the time, had refused to listen. “She is the friend of somebody Papa knows,” Lucy hesitated and flushed, “and he wrote and asked her if she’d take me.” “I don’t know what your father is thinking about to let you go off like this to people he knows nothing of. She may be as common as dirt for all we know. I’d like to find out who the mutual friend is. I notice he don’t mention his name,” Nannie finished with a sneering intonation. Lucy, her cheeks still scarlet, glanced away but said nothing. * * * * * During the days in which Lucy was preparing for departure Nannie relapsed into tearful silence and repelled her daughter’s advances and demonstrations until the girl, still not much more than a child in experience, was almost ill and about to relinquish her plan. At this point a note came from Mrs. Lockhart which spurred Nannie to more decisive speech. “I want to tell you something,” she announced, calling Lucy to her. “You had better think carefully before you leave home for if you go you can’t come back here! It will be final.” “But, Mamma, Papa----” Lucy began. “This is my final decision,” interrupted Nannie in a manner almost ludicrously like Mrs. Lockhart’s. “Very well, Mamma,” replied Lucy, hardly able to keep back the tears, and choking with a sense of injustice. Arthur came in at this juncture. “What’s this, Anna?” he inquired peremptorily. Nannie was silent and avoided his gaze. He turned to Lucy who told him what had taken place. “My child shall come to my home as often and as long as she pleases,” he declared. “Lucy, come upstairs. I want to talk with you.” The father and daughter left the room together. Aunt Martha had been called in to help with the arrangements for Lucy’s departure. Nannie heard the old negress’s voice, then the voices of Arthur and Lucy, and the sound of a trunk being moved. Shut in her own room she was conscious of the feet that hurried past her door and the general bustle of packing for a journey. When there was no one about she stepped into the hall and listened. She convinced herself that Lucy would not really take this step but that the appearance of unusual preparation was arranged to deceive and punish her. After a time, the father and daughter went out, Lucy locking her door. Aunt Martha went home at the same time. Nannie, from a window, watched them until they were out of sight and, notwithstanding her determination to discredit all evidences of Lucy’s decision, began to feel very forlorn.