imney of her
little red savings-bank.

It had been seven years since Alec learned it, but the words were as
familiar still as the letters of the alphabet. As Macklin's
high-pitched voice reached them, Philippa joined in in a singsong
undertone, and even Alec found himself unconsciously following the
well-remembered lines in his thought:

"I know not where His islands lift
Their fronded palms in air;
I only know I cannot drift
Beyond His love and care."

"There!" said Philippa, stopping abruptly, "you were talking about
shipwrecks. According to that hymn, there's always some island ready
for you to be washed up on. How do you know but that you're going to
land some place where you'll be lots better off than if you'd stayed
here in Ridgeville?"

There was a contemptuous sneer on Alec's face, not pleasant to see,
as he answered, roughly: "Bosh! That's all right for people who can
believe in such things, but I'm past such Robinson Crusoe fables."

"Why, Alec Stoker!" she cried, in amazement, "do you mean to say that
you don't believe in Providence any more?" There was a look of horror
on her face.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I've come to think it's a case of every
fellow for himself; sink or swim--and if you're not strong enough to
push to shore, it's drown and leave more room for the rest."

"Alec Mack--lin Sto--ker!" was all that Philippa could find breath to
say at first. Presently she exclaimed, "I should think you'd be
ashamed to talk so! Any boy that had such a grand old grandfather as
you! He didn't have any better chance than you in the beginning, and
had to struggle along for years. Look what a place he made for
himself in the world!"

"That's all you know about it!" cried Alec, his hand trembling with
an emotion he was trying hard to control. In that instant the razor
slipped, slightly cutting his chin.

"Now!" he muttered, hastily tearing a bit of paper from the margin of
a newspaper to stop the blood, and then rummaging in the wash-stand
drawer for a piece of court-plaster. He was a long time adjusting it
to his satisfaction, for the words he wanted to say would not take
shape. He knew what he had to tell her would wound deeply, and he
hesitated to begin. When he faced her again, his voice trembled with
suppressed excitement. He spoke rapidly:

"I may as well out with it. You want to know why I didn't get that
position in