on; a writer, your
daughter tells me. Such an occupation should be an outlet for all
imaginative terrors or anticipations, and leave your mind, your
judgment, clear and free. I am sure Miss Liddell will do her uncle and
herself good by her residence here. Mr. Liddell has been a source of
anxiety to me and to my partners. We have, you know, been his legal
advisers for years, and to know that he is in good hands will be a great
relief. Rely on my--on our doing our best to assist your daughter in
every way."

Mrs. Liddell, perceiving the friendly spirit which actuated the precise
lawyer, thanked him warmly, and after a little further discussion of
details, took her way home.

From the step she had voluntarily taken there was no retreat, nor, to do
her justice, was Katherine Liddell in the least disposed to turn back,
having once put her hand to the plough. Indeed the blessed
castle-building powers of youth disposed her to rear airy edifices as
regarded the future, which lightened the present gloom. Suppose John
Liddell were to soften toward her, and make her a handsome present
occasionally, or forgive this debt to her mother? What a delightful
reward this would be for her temporary servitude! But though Katherine
really amused herself with such fancies, they never crystallized into
hope. Hope still played round her mother's chance of success with the
publishers. Not that she fancied her dear mother a genius; on the
contrary, because she _was_ her mother, she probably undervalued her
work; but she knew that hundreds of stories printed and paid for lacked
the common-sense and humor of Mrs. Liddell's.

How ardently she longed to give her mother something of a rest after the
burden and heat of the day, which she had borne so well and so long--a
spell of peaceful twilight before the gray shadows of everlasting
darkness closed, or the brightness of eternal light broke upon her! Yes,
she would stand four-square against the steely terrors of John Liddell's
cold egotism and penuriousness, against the desolation and gloom of his
forbidding abode, the crushing sordidness of an existence reduced to the
merest straws of sustenance, provided she could lighten her mother's
load--perhaps secure her future ease; and she would do her task well,
thoroughly, keeping a steady heart and a bright face. Then, should the
tide ever turn, what deep draughts of pleasure she would drink!
Katherine was not socially ambitious; finery and grandeur as