Then she shivered a little, sighed again, and again took up the volume she had been reading.

It was Daudet's "Les Femmes d'Artistes." Not long after, all the Denyers were reunited in their sitting-room.
Mrs.Denyer had brought up an open letter.
"From your father again," she said, addressing the girls conjointly.

"I am sure he wears me out.

This is worse than the last.

'The fact of the matter is, I must warn you very seriously that I can't supply you with as much as I have been doing.