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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

 [[236]]