Vaguely she endeavoured to realise that she was now inside one of its
myriad sanctuaries; that here under her very tired and youthful eyes
stood one of its countless altars; that here, also, near by, sat one
of those blessed acolytes who aided in the mysteries of its wondrous
service.
"Ruhannah," he said, "are you calm enough to let me tell you what I
think about this matter?"
"Yes. I am feeling better."
"Good work! There's no occasion for panic. What you need is a cool
head and a clear mind."
She said, without stirring from where she lay resting her cheek on the
chairback: "My mind has become quite clear again."
"That's fine! Well, then, I think the thing for you to do is----" He
took out his watch, examined it, replaced it--"Good Lord!" he said.
"It is three o'clock!"
She watched him but offered no comment. He went to the telephone,
called the New York Central Station, got General Information, inquired
concerning trains, hung up, and came back to the desk where he had
been sitting.
"The first train out leaves at six three," he said. "I think you'd
better go into my bedroom and lie down. I'm not tired; I'll call you
in time, and I'll get a taxi and take you to your train. Does that
suit you, Ruhannah?"
She shook her head slightly.
"Why not?" he asked.
"I've been thinking. I can't go back."
"Can't go back! Why not?"
"I can't."
"You mean you'd feel too deeply humiliated?"
"I wasn't thinking of my own disgrace. I was thinking of mother and
father." There was no trace of emotion in her voice; she stated the
fact calmly.
"I can't go back to Brookhollow. It's ended. I couldn't bear to let
them know what has happened to me."
"What did you think of doing?" he asked uneasily.
"I must think of mother--I must keep my disgrace from touching
them--spare them the sorrow--humiliation----" Her voice became
tremulous, but she turned around and sat up in her chair, meeting his
gaze squarely. "That's as far as I have thought," she said.
Both remained silent for a long while. Then Ruhannah looked up from
her pale preoccupation: "I told you I had three thousand dollars. Why can't I educate myself
in art with that? Why can't I learn how to support myself by art?"
"Where?"