Virginia" in the Seventies, and his mother for a few years had been the social equal of the women who now patronized her son.

But unfortunately the gambling microbe settled down in Harry Doremus' veins, and shortly after his son was born he engaged his favorite room at the Cliff House and blew out his brains.

His wife was left with a large house, which as a last act of grace he had forborne to mortgage and made over to her by deed.

She immediately advertised for boarders, and as her cooking was excellent and she had the wit to drop out of society and give her undivided attention to business, she prospered exceedingly.
She concentrated her ambitions upon her only child; sent him to a private school patronized by the sons of the wealthy, and herself taught him every ingratiating social art.

She wanted him to go to college, but by this time "Nick" was nineteen and as highly developed a snob as her maternal heart had planned.