d you are mistaken!" she said, urgently. "You do not know
how much they need what a very little money and effort would supply
them with. Don't refuse to let me help them. It is a thing so near to
my heart."

She saw his face grow harder.

"It is also," he said, "near my pocket. Going in for charity is all
very well, if it amuses you, and I did not interfere with your doing
so in London. Here, however, it is different. The time has come to
stop it."

His words hurt her pride, and she felt, too, that he liked the
position of being entreated by her. She had an instinct to retort
sharply, but another instinct was stronger. She was feeling what was
a new sensation to her--a willingness to humble her pride that others
might be benefited.

"I have never given money without first satisfying myself that you
approved it," she said, "and I will promise you to regulate my public
charities in future strictly in accordance with whatever limitations
you may set. But don't refuse to let me work a little here--it will
not take much money--among the poor at our very doors."

Instead of softening him, as she had hoped that this attitude of
humility would do, her words seemed to have the opposite effect. She
had a feeling, all at once, that he enjoyed making her appeal to him,
because it would give him the still greater pleasure of refusing.

He did not answer at once. It seemed to please him to keep her
waiting. His gloves were now neatly fastened on his long thin hands,
and with great deliberation he took out his match-box and proceeded
to light his cigar. She noticed that he did not ask permission to do
so, as he would certainly have done at one time--as he would also,
undoubtedly, at one time have removed his hat while talking to her.
Still, these signs of a diminished deference toward her touched her
lightly compared with the importance which she attached to his answer
to her question.

She watched him narrowing his eyes, to avoid the smoke which he was
now puffing from his just-lighted cigar, and waited for him to speak.

Always scrupulously careful in small things, he walked to the window
to throw away the end of the extinguished match. It suddenly came
over her that he did not intend to answer her last words.

Perhaps he wanted to make her urge him further. At this her heart
rebelled. She would not. Still, the idea of his going off for several
days, leaving the question unsettled, was too annoying to
contemplate. As he