this world, mother, isn't it?"

"Not so necessary as a good many other things."

"But in this case, mother, what else can do any good? It is money that
Mr. Bauer needs. Not sympathy nor--nor--even friendship, just money. Is
there anything else that can save his life?"

"It seems not."

"Then money is the great thing," said Helen with a show of getting the
better of her mother in an argument. "I don't pretend to hide my
admiration for money. You know, mother, it is the most powerful thing in
the world."

"There are other things," said Esther quietly. She did not try to argue
with Helen over the subject. They had several times gone over the same
ground and each time Esther had realised more deeply and with a growing
feeling of pain that Helen had almost a morbid passion for money and the
things that money could buy. She was not avaricious. On the contrary,
she was remarkably generous and unselfish in the use of her allowance.
But there was a deep and far reaching prejudice in the girl's mind for
all the brilliant, soft, luxurious, elegant side of wealth and its
allurements that made Esther tremble more and more for the girl's
future, especially when her marriage was thought of.

All this had its bearing on Esther's thought of Bauer. He had never been
to her a possible thought as Helen's lover. All his own and his people's
history were against him. But no one had ever come into the Douglas
family circle who had won such a feeling of esteem, and Esther had felt
drawn towards the truly homeless lad with a compassion that might in
time have yielded to him a place as a possible member of the family. Now
anything like that relation seemed remote, and Helen's own frank
declaration put the matter out of the question. Over all these things
Esther Douglas pondered and in her simple straightforward fashion laid
them at the feet of her God for the help she could not give herself.

When Paul came home to luncheon both Esther and Helen could see at once
that something had happened greatly to please him. Paul was transparent
and never made any pretence at any sort of concealment of his feelings.

"Yes, now you people laugh at that," he said as he handed the eastern
publisher's letter over to Esther.

Esther read the letter out loud. It was an extended business statement
acknowledging the receipt of the book manuscript and Paul's blunt
announcement of the terms he was willing to make for it publication;
cash down, waiving all