would have
been easy; but somehow the market for fine houses was dull now. We would
try, though, and hoped to succeed. We talked at length, and I took
copious memoranda for my clerks.

"There is another thing," said she when we had finished the subject of
the house, "upon which I want light, something upon which depends my
staying here or going away. You know General Lattimore and I are
friends, and that I place great trust in his conclusions. He says that
the most terrible hard times here would result from anything happening
to your syndicate. You have said almost the same thing once or twice,
and the other day you said something about great operations which you
have in view which will, somehow, do away with any danger of that kind.
Is it true that you would all be--ruined by a--breaking up--or anything
of that sort?"

"Just now," I confessed, "such a thing would be dangerous; but I hope we
shall soon be past all that."

I told her, as well as I could, about our hopes, and of my mission to
New York.

"You must suspect," said she, "that my presence here is danger to your
harmony; and through you, to all these people whose names even we have
never heard. Shall I go away? I can go almost anywhere with mamma, and
we can get along nicely. Now that pa is gone, my work here is over, and
I want to get into the world."

I thought of the parallelism between her discontent and the speech Mr.
Cornish had made, referring so contemptuously to Lattimore. I began to
see the many things in common between them, and I grew anxious for Jim.

"Of all things," said she, "I want to avoid the role of Helen setting a
city in flames. It would be so absurd--and so terrible; and rather than
do such a hackneyed and harmful thing, I want to go away."

"Do you really mean that?" I asked, "Haven't you a desire to make your
choice, and stay?"

"You mustn't ask that question, Albert," said she. "The answer is a
secret--from every one. But I will say--that if you succeed in this
mission, so as to put people here quite out of danger--I may not go
away--not for some time!"

She was blushing again, just as she blushed when she admitted me. I
thought once more of the fluttering cry, "Oh, please--please!" and the
pause before she added the good-night, and my jealousy for Jim rose
again.

"Well," said I, rising, "all I can say is that I hope all will be safe
when I return, and that you will find it quite possible to--remain. My
advice is: do no