"It will take her to New York and let her live pretty fine for two or three years. Everybody will cotton up to her and flatter her and make her think she's a second Julia Marlowe, and meantime they'll be helping her spend her money. Now, my plan is this. Why don't you give her just barely enough to live on, and let her try it out on the seamy side for the next six months? Nobody will know who she is or what's coming to her, and maybe when she comes up against the real thing she won't be so keen about it." Madam followed him closely, and for a moment it looked as if the common sense of his argument appealed to her. Then her face set like a vise. "No!" she thundered her decision. "It would be nothing less than handing her over bodily to that pompous old biped Claude Martel! For the next six months she has got to stay right here, where I can know what she is doing and where she is!" "Do you know where she was last night?" Quin played his last trump. She shot a suspicious look at him from under her shaggy brows. "You said she was at the Martels'." "I did not. I said she was all right and you'd hear from her to-day." "Where was she?" "She was on the way to Chicago to join Mr. Phipps." He could not have aimed his blow more accurately. Its effect was so appalling that he feared the consequences. Her face blanched to an ashy white and her eyes were fixed with terror. "She--she--hasn't married him?" she cried hoarsely. "No, no; not yet. But she may any time." "Good Lord! Why haven't you told me this before? Call Isobel! No! she's at church! Get Ranny! Somebody must go after the child!" Quin laid a quieting hand on her arm, which was shaking as if with the palsy. "Don't get excited," he urged. "Somebody did go after her last night, and brought her home." "But where is she now? Where is that contemptible Phipps? I'll have him arrested! Are you sure Nellie is safe?" "I left her safe and sound at the Martels' half an hour ago. Will you listen while I tell you all about it?" As quietly as he could he told the story, interrupted again and again by Madam's hysterical outbursts. When he had finished she struggled to her feet. "The child is stark mad!" she cried. "I am going after her this instant." "She won't see you," warned Quin. "I'll show you whether she sees me or not! I am going to bring her home with me to-night. She's got to be protected against that scoundrel. Ring for the carriage!" Quin did not move. "She said if any of you started after her you'd find her gone when you got there." "But who will tell her?" "I will. I promised she wouldn't have to see you. It was the only way I could get her back from Chicago." She scowled at him in silence, measuring his determination against her own. "Very well," she said at last. "Since you are in such high favor, go and tell her that she can come home, and nothing more will be said about it. I suppose there's nothing else to do under the circumstances. But I'll teach her a lesson later!"