l when she faces a great epoch in her life."

Jock swallowed his rising mirth and his face became a blank so far as
expression was concerned.

"I have had wonderful advantages," Constance began, "that is what makes
me dare to hope. Advantages of wealth, society and--and a deep insight
into people's innermost souls."

"Gosh!" Jock exploded; "excuse me; I always burst out that way when
I'm--moved." He sat down on the end of the log, and clutched his knees
in his strong arms. "Somehow you don't look like such a desperate
character," he added blandly, "known sin and conquered it, and all the
rest?"

Constance sniffed, but a little jocularity was not going to deter her
from the luxury of confession.

"Money should only be regarded," she went on, "as a sacred trust, and a
means of enriching one's life. And as for Society--that is a bore!
Dances, theatres, dinners and luncheons. Chaperons tagging around after
you, suggesting by their mere presence that, unless you're watched,
you'll do something desperate in the wild desire to break the monotony.
Well, I drank deep of _that_ life," Constance looked dreamily over the
stretch of meadow and pine-edged woods, all dazzling with a shimmer of
icy snow, "before I took to----"

"Crime?" Jock suggested. "It would seem that that was the natural
sequence to such a career."

"Jock Filmer--I took to philanthropy."

"As bad as that?" Jock roared with laughter.

"I only tell you this to explain my present position." Constance drew
her fur-clad shoulders up. "I became a Settlement worker; but,"
confidently, "that was worse than Society. It _was_ Society with
another setting. 'Thanks be!' as Auntie says, I have a sense of humour
and a remnant of Scotch canniness. It made me laugh--when it didn't make
me ashamed--to put on a sort of livery--plain frock, you know, and go
down to the Settlement in the most businesslike way to 'do' for those
poor people. It cost an awful lot to run our Settlement, about
two-thirds of all the money. One-third went to the poor. We had plenty
of fun down there. All slummy outside and lovely things inside, you
know. It was like making believe. You see," she paused impressively,
"when you have a Mission like Settlement work, you don't have to have a
chaperon."

"Ten to one, they're needed, though." Jock was keenly interested.
"Cutting loose from familiar ties and acting up sort of detached that
way, must have a queer effect upon some."

"Well, I just got