ongenial
surroundings, and go off into the woods camping yourself. You refuse
me money enough to live in a three-dollar boarding-house, and you buy
expensive rifles and fishing tackle for yourself. You can't afford to
send me away somewhere for the summer, but you bring me back gee-gaws
you have happened to fancy, worth a month's board in the country. You
haven't a cent when it is a question of what I want; but you raise money
quick enough when your old family is insulted. Isn't it my family too?
And then you blame me because, after waiting in vain two years for you
to do something, I start out to do the best I can for myself. I'm not of
age but you're not my guardian!"

During this long speech Thorpe had stood motionless, growing paler and
paler. Like most noble natures, when absolutely in the right, he was
incapable of defending himself against misunderstandings. He was too
wounded; he was hurt to the soul.

"You know that is not true, Helen," he replied, almost sternly.

"It IS true!" she asseverated, "and I'm THROUGH!"

"It's a little hard," said Thorpe passing his hand wearily before his
eyes, "to work hard this way for years, and then--"

She laughed with a hard little note of scorn.

"Helen," said Thorpe with new energy, "I forbid you to have anything to
do with Amos Thorpe. I think he is a scoundrel and a sneak."

"What grounds have you to think so?"

"None," he confessed, "that is, nothing definite. But I know men; and
I know his type. Some day I shall be able to prove something. I do not
wish you to have anything to do with him."

"I shall do as I please," she replied, crossing her hands behind her.

Thorpe's eyes darkened.

"We have talked this over a great many times," he warned, "and you've
always agreed with me. Remember, you owe something to the family."

"Most of the family seem to owe something," she replied with a flippant
laugh. "I'm sure I didn't choose the family. If I had, I'd have picked
out a better one!"

The flippancy was only a weapon which she used unconsciously, blindly,
in her struggle. The man could not know this. His face hardened, and his
voice grew cold.

"You may take your choice, Helen," he said formally. "If you go into
the household of Amos Thorpe, if you deliberately prefer your comfort to
your honor, we will have nothing more in common."

They faced each other with the cool, deadly glance of the race, so
similar in appearance but so unlike in nature.

"I, too