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‘‘She can have himif she wants him；'' replied Presbury。 ‘‘But it's only fair to warn her that he's a stiff dose。''
‘‘Is the moneyCERTAIN？'' inquired Mildred's mother with that shrewdness whose rare occasional displays laid her open to the unjust suspicion of feigning her habitual stupidity。
‘‘Yes；'' said Presbury amiably。 ‘‘It's nothing like yours was。 He's so rich he doesn't know what to do with his income。 He owns mines scattered all over the world。 And if they all failed； he's got bundles of railway stocks and bonds； and gilt…edged trust stocks； too。 And he's a comparatively young manhardly fifty； I should say。 He pretends to be forty。''
‘‘It's strange I never heard of him；'' said Mrs。 Presbury。
‘‘If you went to South America or South Africa or Alaska； you'd hear of him；'' said Presbury。 He laughed。 ‘‘And I guess you'd hear some pretty dreadful things。 When I knew him twenty…five years ago he had just been arrested for forging my father's name to a check。 But he got out of thatand it's all past and gone。 Probably he hasn't committed any worse crimes than have most of our big rich men。 Bill's handicap has been that he hadn't much education or any swell relatives。 But he's a genius at money…making。'' Presbury looked at Mildred with a grin。 ‘‘And he's just the husband for Mildred。 She can't afford to be too particular。 Somebody's got to support her。 _I_ can't and won't； and she can't support herself。''
‘‘You'll gowon't you； Mildred？'' said her mother。 ‘‘He may not be so bad。''
‘‘Yes； I'll go；'' said Mildred。 Her gaze was upon the untouched food on her plate。
‘‘Of course she'll go；'' said Presbury。 ‘‘And she'll marry him if she can。 Won't you； miss？''
He spoke in his amiably insulting wayas distinguished from the way of savagely sneering insult he usually took with her。 He expected no reply。 She surprised him。 She lifted her tragic eyes and looked fixedly at him。 She said：
‘‘Yes； I'll go。 And I'll marry him if I can。''
‘‘I told him he could have you；'' said Presbury。 ‘‘I explained to him that you were a rare specimen of the perfect ladyjust what he wantedand that you； and all your family； would be grateful to anybody who would undertake your support。''
Mrs。 Presbury flushed angrily。 ‘‘You've made it perfectly useless for her to go！'' she cried。
‘‘Calm yourself； my love；'' said her husband。 ‘‘I know Bill Siddall thoroughly。 I said what would help。 I want to get rid of her as much as you doand that's saying a great deal。''
Mrs。 Presbury flamed with the wrath of those who are justly accused。 ‘‘If Mildred left； I should go； too；'' cried she。
‘‘Go where？'' inquired her husband。 ‘‘To the poorhouse？''
By persistent rubbing in Presbury had succeeded in making the truth about her poverty and dependence clear to his wife。 She continued to frown and to look unutterable contempt； but he had silenced her。 He noted this with a sort of satisfaction and went on：
‘‘If Bill Siddall takes her； you certainly won't go there。 He wouldn't have you。 He feels strongly on the subject of mothers…in…law。''
‘‘Has he been married before？'' asked Mrs。 Presbury。
‘‘Twice；'' replied her husband。 ‘‘His first wife died。 He divorced the second for unfaithfulness。''
Mildred saw in this painstaking recital of all the disagreeable and repellent facts about Siddall an effort further to humiliate her by making it apparent how desperately off she was； how she could not refuse any offer； revolting though it might be to her pride and to her womanly instincts。 Doubtless this was in part the explanation of Presbury's malicious candor。 But an element in that candor was a prudent preparing of the girl's mind for worse than the reality。 That he was in earnest in his profession of a desire to bring about the match showed when he proposed that they should take rooms at a hotel in New York； to give her a chance to dress properly for the dinner。 True； he hastened to say that the expense must be met altogether out of the remnant of Mildred's share of her father's estate； but the idea would not have occurred to him had he not been really planning a marriage。
Never had Mildred looked more beautiful or more attractive than when the three were ready to sally forth from the Manhattan Hotel on that Thanksgiving evening。 At twenty…five； a soundly healthy and vigorous twenty…five； it is impossible for mind and nerves； however wrought upon； to make serious inroads upon surface charms。 The hope of emancipation from her hideous slavery had been acting upon the girl like a powerful tonic。 She had gained several pounds in the three intervening days； her face had filled out； color had come back in all its former beauty to her lips。 Perhaps there was some slight aid from art in the extraordinary brilliancy of her eyes。
Presbury inventoried her with a succession of grunts of satisfaction。 ‘‘Yes； he'll want you；'' he said。 ‘‘You'll strike him as just the show piece he needs。 And he's too shrewd not to be aware that his choice is limited。''
‘‘You can't frighten me；'' said Mildred； with a radiant； coquettish smilefor practice。 ‘‘Nothing could frighten me。''
‘‘I'm not trying；'' replied Presbury。 ‘‘Nor will Siddall frighten you。 A woman who's after a bill…payer can stomach anything。''
‘‘Or a man；'' said Mildred。
‘‘Oh； your mother wasn't as bad as all that；'' said Presbury； who never lost an opportunity。
Mrs。 Presbury； seated beside her daughter in the cab； gave an exclamation of rage。 ‘‘My own daughter insulting me！'' she said。
‘‘Such a thought did not enter my head；'' protested Mildred。 ‘‘I wasn't thinking of anyone in particular。''
‘‘Let's not quarrel now；'' said Presbury； with unprecedented amiability。 ‘‘We must give Bill a spectacle of the happy family。''
The cab entered the porte…cochere of a huge palace of white stone just off Fifth Avenue。 The house was even grander than they had anticipated。 The wrought… iron fence around it had cost a small fortune； the house itself； without reference to its contents； a large fortune。 The massive outer doors were opened by two lackeys in cherry…colored silk and velvet livery； a butler； looking like an English gentleman； was waiting to receive them at the top of a short flight of marble steps between the outer and the inner entrance doors。 As Mildred ascended； she happened to note the sculpturing over the inner entrancea reclining nude figure of a woman； Cupids with garlands and hymeneal torches hovering about her。
Mildred had been in many pretentious houses in and near New York； but this far surpassed the grandest of them。 Everything was brand new； seemed to have been only that moment placed； and was of the costliest… statuary； carpets； armor； carved seats of stone and wood； marble staircase rising majestically； tapestries； pictures； drawing…room furniture。 The hall was vast； but the drawing…room was vaster。 Empty； one would have said that it could not possibly be furnished。 Yet it was not only full； but crowded…chairs and sofas； hassocks and tete…a…tetes； cabinets； tables； pictures； statues； busts； palms； flowers； a mighty fireplace in which； behind enormous and costly andirons； crackled enormous and costly logs。 There w