"But you must remember, Mrs. Brewster, I am not alone in the world. I have my mother and younger brother to consider. If I fail Paul now, he will have to stop his college education half-way. I simply _have_ to keep on supplying him and mother with means, until he is through. Then he can help me in caring for mother," explained Anne, diffidently.
"You might marry a young man who had ample means to take care of both your mother and brother," suggested Barbara.
"Oh, Bob! you know Paul would never take money that way, when I had such a dreadful time in even persuading him to let me loan him his educational expenses from my own salary!" exclaimed Anne, flushing uncomfortably when the subject of her marrying a wealthy man was mentioned.
"If your brother knows you plan to go to New York just to earn more money for him, he may refuse to take any aid from you," ventured Mrs. Brewster.
"That is my only concern just now. Of course, I shall take mother with me to keep house for us both, but Paul must complete his studies in Chicago, so he must believe there was another reason for my choosing New York other than the mere increased salary offered me."
"It seems a difficult thing for you to do--to find a plausible reason for going so far East," added Mrs. Brewster.
"Now _I_ know a good one;" spoke up Eleanor, suddenly. "I am crazy to spend a winter in New York, but Bob won't give up her social season at home, and mother wouldn't think of spending the time in New York just to oblige me. As Anne has always been found to be so helpful to me, in everyway, I shall insist upon going to New York this Fall and choosing her as my companion while there. Naturally her mother wants to go, too, and so we will decide to keep house in one of those cute little three-room-and-kitchenette apartments. Then Anne has so much time on her hands that she decides to fill in by going to this seminary for certain hours. How's that for a plot!"
"Oh, it's lovely--all but your being able to go East," replied Barbara, sarcastically.
The others laughed at both plotter and objector, for it sounded so visionary. But once Eleanor had the idea in her mind she mulled it over and over until it really appeared feasible to her.