find it. And Betty, when your mother was here,
my mother broke down a little over grand-
mother's going, and I heard her say, 'Oh, I'm
so _lonely,_ Mrs. Lee!' And your mother asked
her right away if her 'husband' would not soon
return from his African trip. Evidently you
hadn't told your mother a word.”

“Oh, no, Lucia! Of course not!”

“Mother said she hoped that he'd get back
safely, and your mother said that the hardest
thing in the world was for families to be sepa-
rated. Probably she has heard some talk about
Mother's staying here so long, but anyhow she
saw this sort of thing is all wrong, whether I
get educated in America or not. I'd stay here
another year alone if I could get mother to go
back to my father!”

_ “Would_ you, Lucia? I wish you would stay.
I hate to lose you for a friend.”

“You're never going to lose me, Betty Lee!
I need you. Don't you think it would be nice
to have a real old Italian _palazzo_ to come to
when you 'go abroad,' as they say here.”

“It isn't possible,” grinned Betty. “That,
Lucia, is a fairy story!”

This conversation took place at the scene of
previous confidences, Lucia's own room. And
when the girls started to the drawing room a

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