“Very kind of you, I am sure,” the girl snapped.
“I don’t wish to persuade you to stay with us against your inclination. In our present shape, we can’t give you what you need.”
“One of my purposes, however, in this enterprise was to discover just such talent as I think you have, and develop it. Perhaps, if I can’t help you in one way to develop your talent, I can in another.”
Miss Delacourt deigned to pause in her toilette to stare at Brainard.
“I’m sure you have the real thing in you, even after this one unfortunate performance. I can’t tell whether the vein will hold deep, whether you have the character to develop it thoroughly, or will be content with the superficial success you might easily achieve in one of the commercial theaters. But I want to help you to do better than that—to give your talent a chance.”
“You must go where you can study—where you can see good acting also. You must go abroad—to England and France and Germany.”
The girl’s eyes opened wider and wider. She murmured:
“But that would take a sight of time and money, and I haven’t a cent in the world!”
“You have the time, at your age, and I can give you all the money you need,” he went on earnestly. “To-morrow Mr. Farson and I will talk the matter over with you and decide on what’s the best way to go about it.”
Louisiana threw back her head, as if to embrace the splendid vision opened before her. Still gazing at Brainard to see whether he really meant it all, or was perpetrating a cruel joke, she gave a long sigh. There was something pathetically wistful and desirous in her small face that stirred Brainard strongly. He seemed to be looking into a little starved soul that was trying to grasp the meaning of his promise.
She began and stopped. Her look wavered for one moment, as if an unpleasant idea had crossed her mind and made her doubt Brainard’s disinterestedness. Brainard understood the expression. Probably in her short experience of life she had met with little real generosity from men.
“I mean exactly what I said—and nothing more!” he added with meaning emphasis.
The girl’s face cleared with wonderful rapidity. Once more it had the eager, wistful expression of the child.
“My, but you are a good one!” she exclaimed at last, convinced of his earnestness and his singleness of purpose. “After all those fancy compliments I just passed you, too!”