e such bad bargains."

"Upon my word, the philosopher is coming out strong upon the subject!
We shall have him preaching 'Women's Rights' directly," said Steve, much
amazed at this outburst.

"I've begun, you see, and much good may it do you," answered Mac, laying
himself placidly down again.

"Well, but look here, man you are arguing on the wrong side," put in
Archie, quite agreeing with him, but feeling that he must stand by his
order at all costs.

"Never mind sides, uphold the right wherever you find it. You needn't
stare, Steve I told you I was going to look into this matter, and I am.
You think I'm wrapped up in books, but I see a great deal more of what
is going on around me than you imagine, and I'm getting on in this new
branch, let me tell you, quite as fast as is good for me, I daresay."

"Going in for perfection, are you?" asked Charlie, both amused and
interested, for he respected Mac more than he owned even to himself, and
though he had never alluded to the timely warning, neither forgot.

"Yes, I think of it."

"How will you begin?"

"Do my best all-round keep good company, read good books, love good
things, and cultivate soul and body as faithfully and wisely as I can."

"And you expect to succeed, do you?"

"Please God, I will."

The quiet energy of Mac's last words produced a momentary silence.
Charlie thoughtfully studied the carpet; Archie, who had been absently
poking the fire, looked over at Mac as if he thanked him again, and
Steve, forgetting his self-conceit, began to wonder if it was not
possible to improve himself a little for Kitty's sake. Only a minute,
for young men do not give much time to thoughts of this kind, even when
love stirs up the noblest impulses within them. To act rather than to
talk is more natural to most of them, as Charlie's next question showed,
for, having the matter much at heart, he ventured to ask in an offhand
way as he laughed and twirled his cue: "Do you intend to reach the
highest point of perfection before you address one of the fair saints,
or shall you ask her to lend a hand somewhere short of that?"

"As it takes a long lifetime to do what I plan, I think I shall ask some
good woman 'to lend a hand' when I've got anything worth offering her.
Not a saint, for I never shall be one myself, but a gentle creature who
will help me, as I shall try to help her, so that we can go on together
and finish our work hereafter, if we haven't time to do it here."