"No," replied Janet uncompromisingly. "Character first; that is lasting, the other is only superficial. I don't want you to grow vain, Polly. I should feel that I had lost you, if you were to disappoint me in that way."
"And this after I have encouraged the child to look her best!" said Janet to herself as she walked home. "I, who have told her that it was every woman's duty to make herself attractive; I, who have given her to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, to bewilder her by these contradictory speeches. What will she think of me?"
But the next morning, Polly appeared with her hair screwed back in the old fashion, and in her most unbecoming of shabby gowns. At sight of her, Janet smiled sadly.
"The dear child," she said to herself, "she did it because she thought it would please me. I will not interfere. If she presents herself to Van Austin in that gear and he loves her in spite of it, I will believe he is in earnest."
The very next day she mot Polly and Van on the main thoroughfare, going to the studio. Van had his arms full of parcels and Polly wore her old hat and jacket, but both were laughing and talking happily, and as Janet came up, Van gave her a beaming smile, and a nod.
"I can't take off my hat," he said, "or I'll drop some of these precious things. We're going to have tea in the studio."
"You'd better come and join us," said Polly.
Janet pleaded an engagement and hurried on. Van had been put to the test; he had not flinched and Janet was satisfied.
[CHAPTER XIV]
DRAMATICS