A CRY OF YOUTH CHAPTER I ROSE OF DESTINY He was a boy when first we met; Throb through the innocence of Spring! That afternoon when Margaret Randolph was left alone it was a relief. She fairly hated Mrs. Kotrell whose profession it was to chaperon "educationally " young girls of wealth; but in Margaret's case the arrangements were different, for Margaret was cursed with what in her class is the greatest of curses poverty. Three months before she had come to Rome to be with Mrs. Kotrell. The terms had been that Margaret was to pay her a small sum in money, and make up the full amount due by being generally useful; but there had seemed nothing for her to do except write a few letters for "Madame," arrange the flowers, pour tea in the afternoons, and start the French conversation at the table. She was constantly told that she was costing more than her services were worth; and the servants soon realized that there was some difference between the Signorina Randolph and the other young ladies, and all but one treated her accordingly. Moreover, she was criticized and found fault with from morning till night; she had to watch the other girls squander money while she must deny herself. |