she to do nothing?"

"Oh, there are always lots of little things a woman can do," he
answered airily.

"But supposing little things don't satisfy her, and she has power to
follow some big pursuit?"

"Oh, well, in that case," he began, somewhat superciliously. "But it's
too rare to be taken into account--talent in women."

"How do you know?" Beth said. "Robbing women of the means to develop
their talents doesn't prove they haven't any. The best horseman in the
world could never have ridden if he hadn't had a horse. I certainly
think a woman should see to the ordering of her household; but if she
has it in her to do more why shouldn't she? _I_ shall want to do more,
I know. I shall want to be something; and I shall never believe that I
cannot be that something until I have tried the experiment. If you
have it in you to be a sculptor, be a sculptor. _I_ certainly should,
girl and all as I am. I couldn't help it."

"You're very valiant!" he said drily; "but you don't know what it is
to have your whole family against you."

"Don't I?" said Beth, laughing. "I've known that all my life; but I've
known something besides. I've known what it is to be myself. If you
know yourself, and yourself is a sculptor, you're bound to be a
sculptor in spite of your family."

He looked at her admiringly. "When you talk like that, I feel I could
be anything or do anything that you like, I love you so," he ventured,
flipping the grass with his stick to cover his boyish embarrassment.
"I am thinking of you always, all day long."

"Isn't it strange!" Beth answered softly. "And only two days ago we
had never met!"

"But now we shall never part," he said. "Only I don't want you to be
anything, or to care to be anything, but just my wife."

The word wife came upon Beth with the shock of a sweet surprise. She
had not realised that she would ever be asked to be any one's wife;
that seemed something reserved for the honour of beings above her,
beautiful beings in books; and the hot flush of joy that suffused her
at the word rendered her oblivious to the condition attached. She
looked up in the young man's face with eyes full of love and
gratitude, her transparent skin bright with a delicate blush, and her
lips just parted in a smile.

"You _are_ sweet, Beth!" he exclaimed. "How sweet you are!"

For the next few weeks they saw each other every day, if it were only
for a few minutes; but even when they contrived to spend long hours
togeth