“As for a lady, ladies are made and not born,” she said decidedly.  “Don’t ever let them fool you.  Barbara may run around until she’s tired talking about belonging to the Daughters of Southern Officers; she can stick a sampler up here, and lend a Copley portrait to a loan exhibition now and then; but you mark my words, Barbara had to learn things like any other girl.  One sensible mother in this world is worth sixteen distinguished great-grandmothers!”

Julia said nothing; she began to think it was time for her to go.  But Miss Toland was well launched in a favourite argument.

“Why, look here,” said the older woman, who was enjoying herself, “you’re young, you’re pretty, you’re naturally inclined to choose what is nice, what is refined.  You say you’re not a lady—­how do you know?  You may take my word for it—­Julia, your name is?—­ Julia, then, that if you make up your mind to be one, nothing can stop you.  Now I’ve been thinking while we talked.  Why couldn’t you come here and try this sort of thing?  You could keep things running smoothly here; you could work into the girls’ clubs, perhaps; no harm to try, anyway.  Do you sing?”

Julia had to clear her throat before she could say huskily: 

“I can play the piano a little.”

“You see—­you play.  Well, what do you think of it, then?”

“Live here?” stammered Julia.

“Certainly, live right here.  I want some one right here with me.  You can arrange your own work, you can read all the books you want, you’ll come in contact with nice people.  I’m afraid to be here alone at night very much, and I’ve come to the conclusion that we’ll never accomplish anything until I can stay, day out and in.  Why don’t you try it, anyway?  Telephone your grandmother—­ sleep right here to-night!”

Julia struggled for absolute control of her facial muscles.

“Here?” she asked, a little thickly.

“Right in here—­you can but try it!” Miss Toland urged, throwing open the door of the immaculate, unused bedroom.  Julia looked again at the fresh white bed, the rug, the bureau.  Her own—­her own domain!  Just what entering it meant to her she never tried to say, but the moment was a memorable one in her life.  She presently found herself telephoning a message to the drug store that was nearest her grandmother’s home.  She selected a flannelette nightgown from a deep drawer marked:  “Nightgowns and petticoats—­ Women’s.”  She assured Miss Toland that she could buy a toothbrush the next day, and when the older woman asked her how she liked her bath in the morning, Julia said very staidly:  “Warm, thank you.”

“Warm?  Well, so do I,” said Miss Toland’s approving voice from the next room.  “This business of ice-cold baths!  Fad.  There’s a gas heater in the kitchen.”

Julia, laying her underwear neatly over a chair, was struck by the enormity of the task she had undertaken.  A great blight of utter discouragement swept over her—­she never could do it!  Her mother—­ all her kin—­seemed to take shadowy shape to menace this little haven she had found.  Chester—­suppose he should find her!  Suppose Mark should!  Sooner or later some one must discover where she was.