safely away for your future where it can't be
affected by things here?"

"Have I? Certainly not! Do you think I would make myself safe and sure
when I might be wrecking so many? No, but unfortunately, on my mother's
side, they are cautious. My great-uncle takes care of the right I have
there, and I have never been allowed to meddle with it. He sends me two
hundred dollars a month, and this is all I need for my living."

"Do you mean?"--His expressive glance swept her well-dressed person and
she raised her hand protestingly.

"Don't ask too many questions!" she laughed. "Ellen used to be in a
great modiste's establishment and knows the tricks of the trade. My
dress and table cost me less a year than most women of means spend in a
month. But good-by--oh! I forgot to say, Marie Sauzay is to be one of
the telephone girls."

"Marie? The cripple?"

"Yes, she will go to and fro on a tricycle chair, and can thus eke out
her sister's earnings. The knowledge that she can do this will almost
make her well, I know. She is so ambitious! A messenger has been
negotiating with her and told me of her delight in the prospects. The
other girl will be a trained one sent by the company. Will you select my
night men? They must be sober fellows--possibly somebody can be found
who is not good in the Works."

"I'll see to it, and, Miss Lavillotte----"

"Well?"

"Who put all these ideas into your head, please? You are so young!"

She smiled, while blushing deeply.

"Won't you give me any credit for originality, Mr. Dalton? How can one
tell where one picks up ideas? They are like pebbles in our pathway;
sometimes we never even see them, but carelessly scuff them aside as we
walk. Then the sun of somebody's genius shines out and shows them to be
gems, and we hasten to pick them up and claim them for our own. I have
been taught when to watch for the sun's shining--that's all!"

She waved her hand, nodded, and hurried out of the office, leaving
Dalton gazing after her with an eager, baffled face.

CHAPTER XV.

MOTHER FLAHERTY'S TELEPHONE.

There was great merriment in Littleton over the advent of the telephone.
The women gossips gathered with their babies in their arms and even the
men (whom no one would venture thus to name) smoked and stood about in
groups during all the long summer evenings, to discuss this latest
marvel. Among them, with many differences of opinion, there was much
laughter and disclaiming. Old Mrs. Fla