The Danger Mark

slowly to satisfy their increasing desire for personal

ery for limited periods without the personal supervision of Kathleen or the nurses; but no serious innovation was attempt

no arguing wi

agrave died he had writte

e, plain food and clothing, wholesome home seclusion from the promiscuity of modern child life, and an exhaustive education in every grace, fashion, and accomp

' This nation is already crawling with them; art, religion, letters, government, business, human ideals remain embryonic because the 'average citizen' can conceive nothing highe

berty which modern pupils are permitted in school and college, and add to that th

ment drilled into them. I do not wish them to be ignorant of one single modern grace a

of their time and money until they are of age; I will not permit them to cho

nawakened desire for that which has been my failing-hard work from da

d; for I am strong in theory and very weak in practice; they are such dear little things! And when they cry to be taken up-and a modern trained nurse says 'No! let them cry!' good God! Remsen, I sometimes sneak into their thoroughly modern and

cradles and mothers' arms and kisses long be

eep in me, Tappan, a heathenish idea persists that what they need more than hygienics and scientific discipline is some of that old-fashioned love-love which rocks them when it is not good for them-love which overfeeds them sometimes so that they ye

ked up the torch from the fallen hand and, blowing it into a brisk blaze, s

dren; and Mr. Tappan as dry nurse prescribed the brand of intellectu

d promiscuous schools his abomination. Had not his own son, Peter Stuyvesant Tappan, been r

. As they grew older they became wild to go to school; stories of schoolrooms and playgrounds and studies and teachers and j

, accompanied his mother and a tutor, later to enter some school of art in Paris and develop whatever was in him. For like all parents, Duane's had been terribly excited over his infantile efforts at

a's unbelievable talent for music; and when the children came to bid good-bye to the Seagrave twins, they seized each other with frantic embraces, vo

ny, it was formally decided that a series of special tutors should now be engaged to carry on to the

tured in excloosion; the elimination of the extraneous is necessary for the dewelopment of indiwidoolism. I regard the human indiwidool as sacred. Like a pearl"-he pronounced it "poil"-"it can grow in

red with me this unalterable conwicti

eir hands over their ample stomachs. The June atmosphere was pleasantly conducive to the so

ched him with one eye half open, thinking of other things, and s

ugh why terrible, unless the most rigid honesty and big

the flicker of tallow dips. All that had ever come to him of knowledge came in these solitary vigils. Miry and sweating from the plough he mastered the classics, law, chemistry, engineering;

. Tappan: Iron." All that he had ever done he had done a

ess thinking undisturbed-that had bee

ature, and that was only when, desiring an heir, he was o

pment; and now, the father, loyal in his own way to the memory of his old frien

schoolroom; and these ministered to the twin "poils," who were now fre

e letters, arts, and sciences neglected, nor the mundane and social patte

most noted of four-in-hand specialists; fencing, sparring, wrestling, swimming, gymnastics, were all supervised by specialists in those several very importan

ons in personal physiology, a

eth, their eyes, their hair, t

in the science of self-consideration and deepened an unavoidably natura

around and centred in them; everything began for

h,-laws, by-laws, theory, legends, proverbs, truisms, and even a few abstract truths. But there was no mea

of passive bewilderment the realisation. Dazed by the sight and touch and clamor of the throng, they moved and spoke as in a vision. The presence of th

away by a footman and a maid with decorous pomp and circumstance

cterises them, recorded next morning the important fact that

have entered Harvard, for the entrance examinations we

d there; they became devoted to their new game. Excited through tales told by tutor and friend, they developed a passionate loyalty for their college and class; they

ed. Unfortunately, the children heard of this; but the Trust Officer's short answer killed their interest in playing at happiness, and their junior year began listlessly

they were gingerly permitted to witness their first play, and

ly moral one, they sat watching,

the first heavenly strains, and remained there far above the rigid, breath

t and Kathleen whispering behind her, of several tall, broad-shouldered, shy young fellows who came into the

illiancy, paradise revealed: and long, long afterward, the carriage

nce, but promised stormily as they became more accustomed to glimpses of an out

e in visiting his few boy friends for an afternoon; he returned home alone on foot after dusk, telling the chauffeur to go to the devil. Again and again he remained out to dinner without permission, and, finally, one afternoon quietly and stealthily cut his

ooked up with startled brown eyes, divining in her brother something new-something that unconsciously they both

gh of this baby business; I'm eighteen and I want two things: some friends to go about with f

already provided for, Scott?" asked Kathl

s which that fool of a Trust Company votes to let

o with what you c

g if I wanted to. I'd buy a gun a

on the Chesapeake is open to

I want to find out for myself. I don't care for that sort of thing," he repeated savagely; "I just ache to go off somewhere with a boy of my ow

e liberty now than I have, Sc

Anyway, you have enough for a girl o

d I'd go about with my friends and I'd have gowns fitted, and I'd have tea at Sherry's, and I'd shop and go to matinees and to the Exchang

ty?" he sneered. "Well, I don't wonder

m sick of the frumpy prunes-and-prism

ubled laugh in

made you by Mr. Tappan. His ideas on modern f

as horridly as I do. I tell you, Mr. Tappan has got to let me have money enough to dress d

and stared at he

coming-out go

bout your début," sai

id the old

he considers eighteen an unsuitable age for a

m suffocated with it! Besides, I dislike it. I want a dinner-gown and a ball-gown and my hair waved and dressed on top of my head instead of bunched half way! I want to have an

e fruit which a servant offered; and, laying her hands fl

," she said. "If it goes o

asons. They haven't done anything to you.

at me, overgroomed me, dressed me ridiculously, and stuffed my mind. And I'm

with my liberty-I'll not know how to use it-how to understand or be understood.... Tell Mr. Tappan that! Tell him that it is all silly and wrong! Tell him that a young girl never forgets when other girls laugh at her because she never h

aldi

e of a lot of hateful, snuffy old men deciding on what sort of underclot

are

and complain of Mr. Tappan's stin

the necks of the Seagrave twins, drawing them close to her sides-closer when her sidelong glance caught the sullen bitterne

g, it is well to divine and find the truthful answer, lest th

e powers that ruled her wards and herself; and these, convoked in solemn assembly because of conflict with their Trust Officer, might decide in becoming gravity such

line company viewed with uneasiness the revolutionary tendencies of the Seagrave twins as expressed in periodical and passionate letters to Colonel Mallett. The increasing fr

uestions concerning Geraldine's undergarments and Scott's new gun, Colonel

ees, a number of solemn old gentlemen, faultlessly attired, entered the red drawing-room of

ermott, Joshua Hogg, Carl Gumble, Friedrich Gumble; the two vice-presidents, James Cray and Daniel Montross; Myndert Beekma

groaned under the weight of millions. Power, authority, respectability, and legitimate affluence sat there majestically enthroned

man, urbane, sprightly, and gallant. She was exceedin

ressed prosperity. They all were cautious of voice, moderate of speech, chary of gesture. There was always an impressive pause before a director of the Half Moon Trust answered even the most

to inspect the growth of Anthony Seagrave's grandchildren, particularly those worthy and acquisitive ladies who had children themselves. The far-sighted reap rewards. Some day these baby twins would be old enough to marry. It was pruden

intness, then her lifted eyes swept the rosy, rotund countenances before he

. The manners she retained, like her fashion of wearing her hair, and the cut and length of her apparel were clearly too childi

brown eyes which were long and slightly slanting at the corners; hints, too, in the vivid lips, in the

ey had merely stepped down-town for a hasty two years' glance at the

n considered necessary. Now, two years later, unconsciously, it was "Miss Seagrave," and

ings, broached the question with all

ad you came. I do not think you understand that I am no longer a little girl, and that things necessary for a woman are nec

d grimly several times, then his long bony finge

, and checked himself, when Geraldine flushed to her ear

able gowns and furs, and have my hair dressed properly? I want you to answer; can I make my début this winter and have the gowns I require-and the liberty that girls of my age have?" She turned on Colonel Mallett: "The liberty that Na?da has had is all I want; the so

, and spoke in an undertone to Joshua

visage toward Colonel Mallett-

the indiwidool," he b

wer me?" asked Geraldine, t

g the cult

ck. There were tears in her

old Mr. Montross gravely,

in question. It-it is silly to ignore me as though I

Seagrave a qualified answer to her questions-make s

" snapped Tappan

rwear," said Geraldine fiercely. "I'

jaw opened and shu

any such innow

winter? And my quarter

iss Seagrave. Cultiwation of mind concer

-su-premely s-silly." The tears reached

rt Beekman, then past the secretary,

a number-perhaps, in a measure, to all of Miss S

r women have-silk unde

t, the sixty-year enfant terrible of the company, dreaded for his impulsive outbursts-though the effect of these outbursts was always very carefu

claimed with a hearty disregard of caution, which outwardly distu

isitive beast is striking attitude

ough the inward motives of Mr. Grandcourt, and his mo

nse of our committee that the time has practically arrived for some change-perh

ur pardon, Colonel Mallett, for interrupting, but I w

ed more to learn what hope the verdict o

d without haste to rid himself of a weighty opinion concerning the début and the petticoats of t

every director in turn except Mr. Tappan, who spoke

e looked across at the crackled portrait of his old friend Anthony Seagrave

irts of his frock-coat close around his bony thighs. He had done his best; his reward was th

even to him. Then, as though treading on invisible pink clouds, she floated out and away up-stairs, scarcely con

o be unusually red in the face. G

uld have hugged Mr. Grandcourt-the dear! I was so frightened-frightened into rudeness-and then that b

, hands in his pockets, head slightly bent, tra

his sister with an unpleasant laugh. She poured a few drops of col

se you somethin

o make it hot for me if I ever

did you

so again and again. In a year I'll have all the money I need-so what

ed, "but do you know, Scott, I never thought of doing that

eve. Anyway, they raised a terrible row about it. Probably that's why they have at last given me a de

of revolt and reprisal vaguely dis

hem. And I'm going to be very, very good to Kathleen and not do one single thing to make her unhappy or even to bother Mr. Tappan.... And, oh, Scott! my silks an

him and spu

d of me, I shall go mad. Tell me you're fon

upied toleration: "Whew!" he sai

"I'm going to have a few things I wa

wonderful winter which was to come true at last-which was already beginning to come true with exciting visits to that magic country of br

two things Kathleen noticed: Geraldine seemed perfectly happy and contented to view the glitter of vanity fair without thought of acquiring its treasures for herself; and, when rem

ut envy, without even thinking of them for herself; but when Kathleen mentioned the reason of their shopping, Geraldine a

es, velvets, jewels, always her first thought seemed to be that Kathleen should have what they both enjoyed looking at so ardent

nothing for the money value of anything-her bright, piquant, eager face was a welcome sight to the thrifty metropolitan shopkeeper at Christmas-tide. A delicate madness for giving obsessed her; she bought a pair of guns for Scott, laces and silks for Kathleen, and for the s

harities, flying in the motor with Kathleen from church to mission, eager, curious, p

r sat figuring till nearly dawn how best to distribute what fortune sh

papers, limbs icy to the knees; and there ensued an interim of

soon afoot, once more drifting ecstatically among the splendours of the shops, thrilling wit

be? What hearts were at that very moment de

ant throng awaiting to welcome her as one of them. And her imagination catching fire, through closed lids she seemed to see heavenly vistas of youthful faces-a thousand arms outstretched in welco

be filled with the bright shapes of comrades. Life must be only pleasure. Never again must sadness come near her. A miraculous capacity for happiness seemed to fill her breast, expanding with the fierce desire for it, until under the clos