“To hustle,” said the girl with a short, bitter laugh.  “I must rope in somebody.  Oh, I’ve been realizing, these past two months.  I’m awake at last.”

Madam Bowker studied the girl’s face, gave a sigh of relief.  “I feel greatly eased,” said she.  “I see you are coming to your senses before it’s too late.  I knew you would.  You have inherited too much of my nature, of my brain and my character.”

Margaret faced the old woman in sudden anger.  “If you had made allowances for that, if you had reasoned with me quietly, instead of nagging and bullying and trying to compel, all this might have been settled long ago.”  She shrugged her shoulders.  “But that’s past and done.  I’m going to do my best.  Only—­I warn you, don’t try to drive me!  I’ll not be driven!”

“What do you think of Grant Arkwright?” asked her grandmother.

“I intend to marry him,” replied Margaret.

The old lady’s stern eyes gleamed delight.

“But,” Margaret hastened to add, “you mustn’t interfere.  He doesn’t like you.  He’s afraid of you.  If you give the slightest sign, he’ll sheer off.  You must let me handle him.”

“The insolent puppy,” muttered Madam Bowker.  “I’ve always detested him.”

“You don’t want me to marry him?”

“On the contrary,” the old lady replied.  “He would make the best possible husband for you.”  She smiled like a grand inquisitor at prospect of a pleasant day with rack and screw.  “He needs a firm hand,” said she.

Margaret burst out laughing at this implied compliment to herself; then she colored as with shame and turned away.  “What frauds we women are!” she exclaimed.  “If I had any sense of decency left, I’d be ashamed to do it!”

“There you go again!” cried her grandmother.  “You can’t be practical five minutes in succession.  Why should a woman be ashamed to do a man a service in spite of himself?  Men are fools where women are concerned.  I never knew one that was not.  And the more sensible they are in other respects, the bigger fools they are about us!  Left to themselves, they always make a mess of marriage.  They think they know what they want, but they don’t.  We have to teach them.  A man needs a firm hand during courtship, and a firmer hand after marriage.  So many wives forget their duty and relax.  If you don’t take hold of that young Arkwright, he’ll no doubt fall a victim to some unscrupulous hussy.”

Unscrupulous hussy!  Margaret looked at herself in the mirror, met her own eyes with a cynical laugh.  “Well, I’m no worse than the others,” she added, half to herself.  Presently she said, “Grant is coming this afternoon.  I look a fright.  I must take a headache powder and get some sleep.”  Her grandmother rose instantly.  “Yes, you do look badly—­for you.  And Arkwright has very keen eyes—­ thanks to those silly women of your set who teach men things they have no business to know.”  She advanced and kissed her granddaughter graciously on top of the head.  “I am glad to see my confidence in you was not misplaced, Margaret,” said she.  “I could not believe I was so utterly mistaken in judgment of character.  I’ll go to your mother and take her for a drive.”