Her_pastwouldnotbeaneasymatter——ifitshouldeverrisetofaceherpublicly。ThereforeitmustnotrisetillFreddieandshewerewithinthewallsoftheworldtheypurposedtoenterbystealth，andhadgotthemselveswellintrenched。
ThenshewouldbeSusanLenoxofSutherland，Indiana，whohadcometoNewYorktostudyforthestageand，aftermanytrialsfromallofwhichshehademergedwithunspottedvirtue，whateverviciouscalumnymightinenvysay，hadcapturedtheheartandthenameofthehandsome，richyoungcontractor。
Therewouldbenastyrumors，dreadfulstories，perhaps。Butintheselooseandcynicaldays，withthewomenmoreandmoreaudaciousandindependent，withtheuniversalcravingforluxurybeyondthereachoflaboriouslyearnedincomes，withmarriagedecayingincitylifeamongthebetterclasses——intheseeasy-goingdays，whowasnotsuspected，hintedabout，attacked？Andtheveryatrociousnessofthestorieswouldpreventtheirbeingbelieved。OneglanceatSusanwouldbeenoughtomakedoubterslaughattheirdoubts。
Thefamiliartypesoffastwomenofalldegreescomefromthepoorestkindsoffarmsandfromthetenements。InAmerica，practicallynotuntilthepanicsandcollapsesofrecentyearswhichhavetumbledanotherandbettersectionofthemiddleclassintotheabyssoftheunderworld——notuntilthendidthereappearinthecitystreetsandhousesofillreputeanyconsiderablenumberofgirlsfromgoodearlysurroundings。
Beforethattime，theclamorforluxury——theluxurythatcivilizationmakesasmuchanecessityasfood——hadbeensatisfiedmoreorlessbytheincomesofthemiddleclass；andanygirlofthatclass，withphysicalcharmandshrewdnessenoughtogainalivingasoutcastwoman，waseithersupportedathomeorgotahusbandabletogiveheratleastenoughofwhathertastescravedtokeepherintheranksofthereputable。ThusSusan”sbeautyofrefinement，herspeechandmannerofthelady，madeabsurdanysuggestionthatshecouldeverhavebeenafallenwoman。Thecrimsonsplashofherrougedlipsdidnotsuggestthe_cocotte_，buttheladywithadashofgayetyinhertemperament。This，becauseofthesweet，sensitiveseriousnessofhersmall，pallidfacewithitsearnestviolet-grayeyesanditsframeofabundantdarkhair，simplyandgracefullyarranged。Shewasoftheadvanceguardofatypewhichtheswiftdownfallofthemiddleclass，theincreasingintelligenceandrestlessnessandloveofluxuryamongwomen，andthedecayofformalreligionwithitsexactionsofchastityaswoman”sonediamond-finejewel，arenowmakingfamiliarineverycity。Thedemandfortheluxuriouscomfortwhichtheeducatedregardasmerelydecentexistenceisfaroutstrippingthedemandfor，andtheeducationof，womeninlucrativeoccupationsotherthanprostitution。