anything, that--that--"

"That you thought I was all bluff. Thanks! Any more compliments?"

She turned on him impulsively. "Oh, don't!" she exclaimed. "Please
don't! I know what I am saying sounds perfectly horrid, and especially
now when you have just saved me from being badly hurt, if not killed.
But don't you see that--that I am saying it because I am interested in
you and sure you COULD do so much if you only would? If you would only
try."

This speech was a compound of sweet and bitter. Albert
characteristically selected the sweet.

"Helen," he asked, in his most confidential tone, "would you like to
have me try and write something? Say, would you?"

"Of course I would. Oh, will you?"

"Well, if YOU asked me I might. For your sake, you know."

She stopped and stamped her foot impatiently.

"Oh, DON'T be silly!" she exclaimed. "I don't want you to do it for
my sake. I want you to do it for your own sake. Yes, and for your
grandfather's sake."

"My grandfather's sake! Great Scott, why do you drag him in? HE doesn't
want me to write poetry."

"He wants you to do something, to succeed. I know that."

"He wants me to stay here and help Labe Keeler and Issy Price. He wants
me to spend all my life in that office of his; that's what HE wants.
Now hold on, Helen! I'm not saying anything against the old fellow. He
doesn't like me, I know, but--"

"You DON'T know. He does like you. Or he wants to like you very much
indeed. He would like to have you carry on the Snow Company's business
after he has gone, but if you can't--or won't--do that, I know he would
be very happy to see you succeed at anything--anything."

Albert laughed scornfully. "Even at writing poetry?" he asked.

"Why, yes, at writing; although of course he doesn't know a thing about
it and can't understand how any one can possibly earn a living that way.
He has read or heard about poets and authors starving in garrets and he
thinks they're all like that. But if you could only show him and prove
to him that you could succeed by writing, he would be prouder of you
than any one else would be. I know it."

He regarded her curiously. "You seem to know a lot about my
grandfather," he observed.

"I do know something about him. He and I have been friends ever since
I was a little girl, and I like him very much indeed. If he were my
grandfather I should be proud of him. And I think you ought to be."

She flashed the last sentence at him in a sudden h