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〃And I have my stout。 Come along up to my room now。 This smell
is too abominable。 But we must be ready for him when he comes back。
If we sit at the window we shall see him coming down the road。〃
The fresh morning air； and the genial company of the Admiral had
caused the Doctor to forget his troubles； and he came back about midday
in an excellent humor。 As he opened the hall door the vile smell of
chemicals which had spoilt his breakfast met him with a redoubled
virulence。 He threw open the hall window； entered the dining…room； and
stood aghast at the sight which met his eyes。
Ida was still sitting among her bottles； with a lit cigarette in her left
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hand and a glass of stout on the table beside her。 Clara； with another
cigarette； was lounging in the easy chair with several maps spread out
upon the floor around。 Her feet were stuck up on the coal scuttle； and
she had a tumblerful of some reddish…brown composition on the smoking
table close at her elbow。 The Doctor gazed from one to the other of them
through the thin grey haze of smoke； but his eyes rested finally in a settled
stare of astonishment upon his elder and more serious daughter。
〃Clara！〃 he gasped； 〃I could not have believed it！〃
〃What is it； papa？〃
〃You are smoking！〃
〃Trying to； papa。 I find it a little difficult； for I have not been used to
it。〃
〃But why； in the name of goodness〃
〃Mrs。 Westmacott recommends it。〃
〃Oh； a lady of mature years may do many things which a young girl
must avoid。〃
〃Oh； no；〃 cried Ida； 〃Mrs。 Westmacott says that there should be one
law for all。 Have a cigarette； pa？〃
〃No； thank you。 I never smoke in the morning。〃
〃No？ Perhaps you don't care for the brand。 What are these； Clara？〃
〃Egyptians。〃
〃Ah； we must have some Richmond Gems or Turkish。 I wish； pa；
when you go into town； you would get me some Turkish。〃
〃I will do nothing of the kind。 I do not at all think that it is a fitting
habit for young ladies。 I do not agree with Mrs。 Westmacott upon the
point。〃
〃Really； pa！ It was you who advised us to imitate her。〃
〃But with discrimination。 What is it that you are drinking； Clara？〃
〃Rum； papa。〃
〃Rum？ In the morning？〃 He sat down and rubbed his eyes as one
who tries to shake off some evil dream。 〃Did you say rum？〃
〃Yes； pa。 They all drink it in the profession which I am going to take
up。〃
〃Profession； Clara？〃
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〃Mrs。 Westmacott says that every woman should follow a calling； and
that we ought to choose those which women have always avoided。〃
〃Quite so。〃
〃Well； I am going to act upon her advice。 I am going to be a pilot。〃
〃My dear Clara！ A pilot！ This is too much。〃
〃This is a beautiful book； papa。 ‘The Lights； Beacons； Buoys；
Channels； and Landmarks of Great Britain。' Here is another； ‘The Master
Mariner's Handbook。' You can't imagine how interesting it is。〃
〃You are joking； Clara。 You must be joking！〃
〃Not at all； pa。 You can't think what a lot I have learned already。
I'm to carry a green light to starboard and a red to port； with a white light
at the mast…head； and a flare…up every fifteen minutes。〃
〃Oh； won't it look pretty at night！〃 cried her sister。
〃And I know the fog…signals。 One blast means that a ship steers to
starboard； two to port； three astern； four that it is unmanageable。 But this
man asks such dreadful questions at the end of each chapter。 Listen to
this： ‘You see a red light。 The ship is on the port tack and the wind at
north； what course is that ship steering to a point？'〃
The Doctor rose with a gesture of despair。 〃I can't imagine what has
come over you both；〃 said he。
〃My dear papa； we are trying hard to live up to Mrs。 Westmacott's
standard。〃
〃Well； I must say that I do not admire the result。 Your chemistry； Ida；
may perhaps do no harm； but your scheme； Clara； is out of the question。
How a girl of your sense could ever entertain such a notion is more than I
can imagine。 But I must absolutely forbid you to go further with it。〃
〃But； pa；〃 asked Ida； with an air of innocent inquiry in her big blue
eyes； 〃what are we to do when your commands and Mrs。 Westmacott's
advice are opposed？ You told us to obey her。 She says that when
women try to throw off their shackles； their fathers； brothers and husbands
are the very first to try to rivet them on again； and that in such a matter no
man has any authority。〃
〃Does Mrs。 Westmacott teach you that I am not the head of my own
house？〃 The Doctor flushed； and his grizzled hair bristled in his anger。
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〃Certainly。 She says that all heads of houses are relics of the dark
ages。〃
The Doctor muttered something and stamped his foot upon the carpet。
Then without a word he passed out into the garden and his daughters could
see him striding furiously up and down； cutting off the heads of the
flowers with a switch。
〃Oh； you darling！ You played your part so splendidly！〃 cried Ida。
〃But how cruel it is！ When I saw the sorrow and surprise in his eyes
I very nearly put my arms about him and told him all。 Don't you think
we have done enough？〃
〃No； no； no。 Not nearly enough。 You must not turn weak now；
Clara。 It is so funny that I should be leading you。 It is quite a new
experience。 But I know I am right。 If we go an as we are doing； we
shall be able to say all our lives that we have saved him。 And if we don't；
oh； Clara； we should never forgive ourselves。〃
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CHAPTER X。
WOMEN OF THE FUTURE。
From that day the Doctor's peace was gone。 Never was a quiet and
orderly household transformed so suddenly into a bear garden； or a happy
man turned into such a completely miserable one。 He had never realized
before how entirely his daughters had shielded him from all the friction of
life。 Now that they had not only ceased to protect him； but had
themselves become a source of trouble to him； he began to understand
how great the blessing was which he had enjoyed； and to sigh for the
happy days before his girls had come under the influence of his neighbor。
〃You don't look happy；〃 Mrs。 Westmacott had remarked to him one
morning。 〃You are pale and a little off color。 You should come with me
for a ten mile spin upon the tandem。〃
〃I am troubled about my girls。〃 They were walking up and down in
the garden。 From time to time there sounded from the house behind them
the long； sad wail of a French horn。
〃That is Ida；〃 said he。 〃She has taken to practicing on that dreadful
instrument in the intervals of her chemistry。 And Clara is quite as bad。
I declare it is getting quite unendurable。〃
〃Ah； Doctor； Doctor！〃 she cried； shaking her forefinger； with a gleam
of her white teeth。 〃You must live up to your principlesyou must give
your daughters the same liberty as you advocate for other women。〃
〃Liberty； madam； certainly！ But this approaches to license。〃
〃The same law for all； my friend。〃 She tapped him reprovingly on
the arm with her sunshade。 〃When you were twenty your father did not；
I presume； object to your learning chemistry or playing a musical
instrument。 You would have thought it tyranny if he had。〃
〃But there is such a sudden change in them both。〃
〃Ye