"Oh, I think it is delightful for a while. Of course I have been on shipboard so long that I really am longing for some society. Did you hear me tell Douglas what my plan is for her and me? I should like to include you, too, but perhaps it would be best for you to wait a year." "No, I did not hear; you see the car is such a noisy one that one never can hear. What is your plan?" "I want to take Douglas to the White for several weeks preparatory to her making her debut this winter." "Debut!" gasped Helen. "White Sulphur!" "Certainly, why not?" "But, mother, we haven't money for clothes and things." "Nonsense! Our credit is perfectly good. I fancy there is not a man in Richmond who has paid his bills so regularly as Robert Carter, and now that he is not able to work for a few months I feel sure there is not a single tradesman with whom we have always dealt who would not be more than pleased to have us on his books for any amount." "I wanted to charge a lot of things I thought we needed, but Douglas just wouldn't have it. She never does realize the importance of clothes. I don't mean to criticize Douglas, she is wonderful, but she is careless about clothes." "Well, I shall put a stop to that, now that I am back with my children. Your father is so much better I can give my time to other things now. How exciting it will be to have a daughter in society! I never did want Douglas to go to college. What made her give it up? She never did say what her reason was. Letters are very unsatisfactory things when one is on shipboard." "It was money, of course," said Helen. "There was no money for college." "Oh, to be sure! I forgot that college takes cash. Well, I am heartily glad she has given it up. I think college girls get too independent. I am dying to show you my purchases in New York." "I am dying to see them, too, but, mumsy, I shall have to leave you now and run and do a million things. We have a great crowd of week-enders coming up on the late train." "Can't Susan attend to the things?" "Oh, Susan does a lot, but I am the chief cook and Douglas is the brains of the concern and looks after all the money and does the buying. Nan attends to all the letter writing, and you would be astonished to see how much she has to do because we have showers of mail about board. Lucy sees to the setting of the tables, and all of us do everything that turns up to be done. Even Bobby helps." "How ridiculous! Well, take care of your hands, darling. I hate to see a girl with roughened hands. There is simply no excuse for it." Helen was dazed by her mother's attitude. "She is just presenting a duck-back to trouble," thought the girl, looking rather ruefully at her shapely hands which were showing the inevitable signs of work. She found Douglas sitting in a forlorn heap in their tent. Her countenance was the picture of woe. "Helen! Helen! What are we to do?"