Margaret compromised by agreeing to stay at a farm-house near Mrs. Van Dusen’s place and to use that good lady’s carriage. But she insisted on paying for her board. Mrs. Van Dusen was only too glad that she had been able to prevail over Margaret’s independent spirit to that extent. Her visits to the hospital had made her acquainted with the girl’s fine nature, both in the courage she had evinced in pain, and in the devotion she showed to Helène. Mrs. Van Dusen could not help but look up to so grand and yet so finely democratic a character.
In the younger girl, with the gentle, well-bred bearing which, as she readily saw, but veiled the reticence of inborn dignity, she had found a rare personality. A girl entirely aloof from her surroundings and who was yet self-supporting and happy in the small circle of her life. Mrs. Van Dusen, the society leader and proud wife of one of the wealthy men of New York, could not fail to see that this simple, dignified girl was her equal in everything but worldly gifts. She tried hard to pierce the armor of modesty and unselfishness in which the girl clothed herself; but its very inoffensiveness proved it to be a stronger protection than anything else could have been.
Her son, Howard, had confessed to her that the younger of the two girls had made a deep impression on him, but, he ruefully added, “I’ve not made much headway with her.”
To Helène, the American custom which permitted a young man and girl to meet and converse freely and alone, was one which she either did not understand or did not approve. Van Dusen’s escort to the boarding-house was rather suffered than accepted. Upon arriving at the home, she would bid him good-bye, and take no notice of his hints for an invitation to call. His floral gifts she invariably transferred to Margaret. He had to admit frankly that he had not made a very favorable impression. His mother wisely said nothing.
At the Post’s farm-house Margaret found herself comfortably established on the second floor. She wrote every day to Helène glowing accounts of the beautiful country and urged her to come and visit her for a few days. The people were nice and kind and there was a quaint room which she could have all to herself. She was getting quite strong again and had acquired a tremendous appetite. She pleaded so earnestly that Helène finally agreed to go if Madame Lucile gave the permission.