It was about this time that Miss Vance came home. Mrs.
Waldeaux in a moment of weakness gave her a hint of his
defeat.

"Is the world blind," she cried, "to deny work to a man
of George's capacity? What does it mean?"

Clara heard of George's sufferings with equanimity. "The
truth is," she said, when she told the story to Miss
Dunbar, "Frances brought that boy up to believe that he
was a Grand Llama among men. There is no work for Grand
Llamas in this country, and when he understands that he
is made of very ordinary clay indeed, he will probably be
of some use in the world."

Lucy was watering her roses. "It is a matter of
indifference to me," she said, "what the people of New
York think of Mr. Waldeaux."

Clara looked at her quickly. "I do not quite catch your
meaning?" she said.

But Lucy filled her can, and forgot to answer.



CHAPTER XVII

Clara had brought Miss Dunbar back and established her in