Harry beamed upon her. "She is as proud as punch when she gets a chance to take the little one out, and they made a pretty picture going down the street," said he, "but I hope she won't catch cold. Is that new suit warm?" "Oh yes! it is interlined. I looked out for that." "You look out for my child as if she were your own, bless you, dear," Harry said, affectionately. Then Ida thought that the time for her carefully-led-up-to coup had arrived. "I try to," said she, meekly. "You _do_." Ida began to speak, then she hesitated, with timid eyes on her husband's face. "What is it, dear?" asked he. "Well, I have been thinking a good deal lately about Maria and her associates in school here." "Why, what is the matter with them?" Harry asked, uneasily. "Oh, I don't know that there is anything very serious the matter with them, but Maria is at an age when she is very impressible, and there are many who are not exactly desirable. There is Gladys Mann, for instance. I saw Maria walking down the street with her the other day. Now, Harry, you know that Gladys Mann is not exactly the kind of girl whom Maria's own mother would have chosen for an intimate friend for her." "You are right," Harry said, frowning. "Well, I have been thinking over the number of pupils of both sexes in the school who can be called degenerates, either in mind or morals, and I must say I was alarmed." "Well, what is to be done?" asked Harry, moodily. "Maria must go to school, of course." "Yes, of course, Maria must have a good education, as good as if her own mother had lived." "Well, what is to be done, then?" Then Ida came straight to the point. "The only way I can see is to remove her from doubtful associates." "Remove her?" repeated Harry, blankly. "Yes; send her away to school. Wellbridge Hall, in Emerson, where I went myself, would be a very good school. It is not expensive." Harry stared. "But, Ida, she is too young." "Not at all." "You were older when you went there." "A little older." "How far is Emerson from here?" "Only a night's journey from New York. You go to sleep in your berth, and in the morning you are there. You could always see her off. It is very easy." "Send Maria away! Ida, it is out of the question. Aside from anything else, there is the expense. I am living up to my income as it is."