"

"I should not think you would want to be ever there again. I can't see
why."

"But then what would become of the poor people?"

"They do not depend upon you," said Norton. "It is not _your_ look-out."

"But--I suppose," Matilda said, slowly, "I suppose, everybody depends
upon somebody."

"Well?" said Norton, laughing.

"You needn't laugh, though, Norton; because, if everybody depends upon
somebody, _then_, everybody has somebody depending upon him, I suppose."

"Who depends upon you?"

"I don't know," said Matilda. "I wish I did."

"Not Mrs. Old-thing there, at any rate. And how can anybody tell, Pink?"

"I don't know," said Matilda; "and so it seems to me the best way would
be to act as if everybody depended on you; and then you would be sure
and make no mistake."

"You would be making mistakes the whole time," said Norton. "It would
be all one grand mistake."

"Ah, but it cannot be a mistake, Norton,"--she stopped suddenly.

"What cannot be a mistake?"

"It cannot be a mistake, to do anything that God has given you to do."

"How can you tell?" said Norton. "It's all like a Chinese puzzle. How
can you tell which piece fits into which?"

"But if every piece fitted, then the pattern would be all right," said
Matilda.

"Yes," said Norton, laughing; "but that is what I say! How can you
tell?"

"Mr. Richmond says, that whenever we have an opportunity to do anything
or to learn anything, the Lord means that we should use it."

"I have a nice opportunity to turn you over on these rocks and smash
the carriage to pieces; but I don't mean to do it."

"You know what I mean, Norton; nobody has an opportunity to do wrong. I
mean, you know, an opportunity to do anything good."

"Well now, Pink," said Norton, drawing the reins a little, and letting
the ponies come to an easy walk,--"see what that would end in. As long
as people have got money, they have got opportunities. I suppose that
is what you mean?"

"Yes," said Matilda. "That is part."

"Well. We might go on and help all the people in Lilac Lane, mightn't
we? and then we could find plenty more to help somewhere else; and we
could go on, using our opportunities, till we had nothing to live upon
our selves. That is what it must come to, if you don't stop somewhere.
We should have to sell the carriages and the ponies, and keep two or
three servants instead of eight; and mamma would have to stop wearing
what she wears now; and by and by we should w