take the money?"

Then Sinton's eyes came up straightly.

"Finding her on the trail last night sobbing as hard as I ever saw any
one at a funeral. She wasn't complaining at all, but she's come to me
all her life with her little hurts, and she couldn't hide how she'd been
laughed at, twitted, and run face to face against the fact that there
were books and tuition, unexpected, and nothing will ever make me
believe you didn't know that, Kate Comstock."

"If any doubts are troubling you on that subject, sure I knew it! She
was so anxious to try the world, I thought I'd just let her take a few
knocks and see how she liked them."

"As if she'd ever taken anything but knocks all her life!" cried Wesley
Sinton. "Kate Comstock, you are a heartless, selfish woman. You've never
shown Elnora any real love in her life. If ever she finds out that thing
you'll lose her, and it will serve you right."

"She knows it now," said Mrs. Comstock icily, "and she'll be home
to-night just as usual."

"Well, you are a brave woman if you dared put a girl of Elnora's make
through what she suffered yesterday, and will suffer again to-day,
and let her know you did it on purpose. I admire your nerve. But I've
watched this since Elnora was born, and I got enough. Things have come
to a pass where they go better for her, or I interfere."

"As if you'd ever done anything but interfere all her life! Think I