 rather you were an artist than anything else, Clifford.«
    Marsh decided not to hear. He thrust his hands deeper into his pockets, and
trod about the floor heavily. Madeline made another remark.
    »I suppose the kind of work that is proposed for you would, leave you no
time for art?«
    »Pooh! of course not. Who was ever Philistine and artist at the same time?«
    »Well, it's a bad job. I wish I could help you. I wish I had money.«
    »If you had, I shouldn't benefit by it,« was the exasperated reply.
    »Will you please to do what you were going to do at first, and tell Barbara
I wish to speak to her?«
    »Yes, I will.«
    His temper grew worse. In his weakness he really had thought it likely that
Madeline would suggest something hopeful. Men of his stamp constantly entertain
unreasonable expectations, and are angry when the unreason is forced upon their
consciousness.
    »One word before you go, please,« said Madeline, standing up and speaking
with emphasis. »After what you said just now, this is, of course, our last
interview of this kind. When we meet again - and I think it would be gentlemanly
in you to go and live somewhere else - you are Mr. Marsh, and I, if you please,
am Miss Denyer.«
    »I will bear it in mind.«
    »Thank you.« He still lingered near the door. »Be good enough to leave me.«
    He made an effort and left the room. When the door had closed, Madeline
heaved a deep sigh, and was for some minutes in a brown, if not a black, study.
Then she shivered a little, sighed again, and again took up the volume she had
been reading. It was Daudet's »Les Femmes d'Artistes.«
    Not long after, all the Denyers were reunited in their sitting-room. Mrs.
Denyer had brought up an open letter.
    »From your father again,« she said, addressing the girls conjointly. »I am
sure he wears me out. This is worse than the last. The fact of the matter is, I
must warn you very seriously that I can't supply you with as much as I have been
doing. I repeat that I am serious this time. It's a horrible bore, and a good
deal worse than a bore. If I could keep your remittances the same by doing on
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