d to say, afterwards, that he never witnessed a
prettier sight than the manner in which the three other girls rallied
round their poor "little May," from Annie downwards. They took off her
hat, pulled off her gloves, smoothed her ruffled hair, patted her
tear-stained cheeks, seated her in an arm-chair, brought her tea, and
made her drink it, bidding her not be too disheartened. They pledged
themselves--even Dora pledged herself stoutly--that, if it rested with
them, and they were young and strong, they would find work of one kind
or another--May should go back to St. Ambrose's some day and vindicate
her scholarliness. Father and mother and all of them would be proud of
her.

It rendered the man doubly indignant from that day when he heard
scoffers say that there could be no true friendship between women, and
that the relation of sisters existed simply for the growth of rivalry
and jealousy.

May was still shaking her head disconsolately, and reminding him, "Ah,
Mr. Robinson, it would have been better if you had let me stay at home
and go into your shop, like Phyllis Carey. I might have done some good
there, though you may not believe it, and only feel glad that you got
rid of me."

Then he took her in hand, and administered his consolation. "Nonsense,
Miss May," he said, with sufficient peremptoriness for a man who had
been rather accustomed to efface himself in these girls' presence, "you
were not to be suffered to hide your light under a bushel. I wonder to
hear you--I thought you had more pluck and perseverance. How many times
do you think the young fellows at St. Ambrose's are turned back and have
to try again? If I passed in my first exam, it was by the merest fluke,
as three-fourths of the men will tell you they pass. As for my degree,
I had the common sense and modesty to put off taking it to the last
moment, and to stay up two different vacations, 'sapping' like a
Scotchman, before I ventured to undergo the test. You don't mean to say
you are too proud to do at Rome as the Romans do, that your genius will
brook no rejection, and declines to grapple with an obstacle? I'll tell
you what your father proposes for you, and let me say that I believe it
would do him a world of good--now that he has been forced to give up his
patients, and is confined to his chair. He has not lost heart and faith
in your powers--of course not. He is thinking quite eagerly of brushing
up his classics in his enforced leisure, and himse