hes might take to themselves
wings, banks might break, investments fail, then where should I be?
I am only independent because fate has given me the use of money I
have never earned. But you are different; you can carve your own
destiny, and are master of yourself."

"Am I? Don't indulge in any such mistaken ideas, I beg of you,"
broke in Katherine, with a little grimace as in fancy she smelled
again the soap and the brimstone which had offended her so much in
the store. "I set out to be a school teacher, and came home from
Montreal with my head packed full of theories concerning how
teaching ought to be done, and how I meant to do it. The first
disappointment came when I found there were no children of school
age obtainable, except Miles and Phil; for it is very hard to
theorize upon one's own kith and kin, at least I found it so.
Night school, also, is not an easy practice-ground for new methods,
which was disappointment number two; and then came Father's
illness, which has settled once and for all the question of my
teaching, and has caged me up to the business of the store, whether
I would or no. So how can I carve my own destiny, pray?"

Mary clapped her hands. "Why, can't you see that is what you are
doing all the time? In spite of adverse circumstances you have
done your very utmost, and consequently your very best. You have
been brave, patient, cheerful, and always you have spent yourself
for others until----"

"Oh, spare me any more, and let us talk about something else!"
cried Katherine impatiently; her cheeks were getting hot, and her
memory was pointing to many a time when she had been neither brave,
nor patient, nor cheerful.

"Yes, of course we will talk of something else, and now you shall
have the reverse of the picture, for I want to talk about myself,"
Mary said, with a quick flush which made the heart of the other
turn chill and cold, with dread of what might be coming next.

"Self is a sorry subject for over-much meditation, don't you think?
And introspection is very bad for invalids," Katherine said
nervously.

"I'm not an invalid, not in that sense at least; I am only
incapacitated through having twisted my ankle. But I simply must
confide in somebody, or I don't know what will happen to me. I
can't open my heart to my daddy; he has had cares enough concerning
me already; while if I tried to tell Mrs. Burton she would be so
shocked that she would refuse to come and look after me a