a change
of heart.

"Oh, come in, Thor," she said, briskly. "I'm glad you've come. Go up and
see poor Len. He's so depressed. You'll cheer him."

If there was a forced note in her bravery he did not perceive it. "I'm
glad to see you're not depressed," he observed as he took off his
overcoat.

She shrugged her shoulders. "I'm going to die game."

"Which means--"

"That there's fight in me yet."

"Fight?" His brows went up anxiously.

"Oh, not with your father. You needn't be afraid of that. Besides, I see
well enough it would be no use. If he says we've spent our money, he's
got everything fixed to make it look so, whether we've spent it or not.
No, I'm not going to spare him because he's your father. I'm going to
say what I think, and if you don't like it you can lump it. I sha'n't go
to law. I'd get the worst of it if I did. But neither shall I be bottled
up. So there!"

"It doesn't matter what you say to me--" Thor began, with significant
stress on the ultimate word.

"It may not matter what I say to you, but I can tell you it will matter
what I say to other people."

Thor took no notice of that. "And if you're not going to law, would it
be indiscreet to ask what you are going to do?"

Bessie forced the note of bravery again, with a flash in her little
eyes. "I'm going to live on my income; that's what I'm going to do.
Thank the Lord I've some money left. I didn't let Archie Masterman get
his hands on all of it--not me. I've got some money left, and we've got
this house. I'm going to let it. I'm going to let it to-morrow if I get
the chance. I'm getting it ready now. And then we're going abroad. Oh, I
know lots of places where we can live--_petits trous pas chers_; dear
little places, too--where Len'll have a chance to--to get better."

Thor made a big resolution. "If you're going to let the house, why not
let it to me?"

She knew what was coming, but it made her feel faint. Backing to one of
the Regency chairs, she sank into it. It was in mere pretense that she
said, "What do you want it for?"

"I want it because I want to marry Lois." He added, with an anxiety that
sprang of his declaration to Claude, "Do you think she'll take me?"

Bessie spoke with conviction. "She'll take you unless she's more of a
fool than I think. Of course she'll take you. Any woman in her senses
would jump at you. I know I would." She dashed away a tear. "But look
here, Thor," she hurried on, "if you marry Lois you won't