n't sing my own praises, but I don't think you'd find much to
complain of in me. I'd never ask you to go into the bar, 'cause I know
you ain't suited for that, and, what's more, I'd rather you didn't. Will
you give it a thought?'

It was modest enough, and from her knowledge of the man Emma felt that
he was to be trusted for more than his word. But he asked an impossible
thing. She could not imagine herself consenting to marry any man, but
the reasons why she could not marry Daniel Dabbs were manifold. She felt
them all, but it was only needful to think of one.

Yet it was a temptation, and the hour of it might have been chosen.
With a scarcity of food for the morrow, with dark fears for her sister,
suffering incessantly on the children's account, Emma might have been
pardoned if she had taken the helping hand. But the temptation, though
it unsteadied her brain for a moment, could never have overcome her. She
would have deemed it far less a crime to go out and steal a loaf from
the baker's shop than to marry Daniel because he offered rescue from
destitution.

She refused him, as gently as she could, but with firmness which left
him no room for misunderstanding her. Daniel was awed by her quiet
sincerity.

'But I can wait,' he stammered; 'if you'd take time to think it over?'

Useless; the answer could at no time be other.

'Well, I've no call to grumble,' he said. 'You say straight out what you
mean. No woman can do fairer than that.'

His thought recurred for a moment to Alice, whose fault had been that
she was ever ambiguous.

'It's hard to bear. I don't think I shall ever care to marry any other
woman. But you're doin' the right thing and the honest thing; I wish all
women was like you.'

At the door he turned.

'There'd be no harm if I take Mrs. Clay and the children, would there?'

'I am sure they will thank you, Mr. Dabbs.'

It did not matter now that there was a clear understanding.

At a little distance from the house door Daniel found Mrs. Clay waiting.

'No good,' he said cheerlessly.

'She won't go?'

'No. But I'll take you and the children, if you'll come.'

Kate did not immediately reply. A grave disappointment showed itself in
her face.

'Can't be helped,' Daniel replied to her look. 'I did my best'

Kate accepted his invitation, and they arranged the hour of meeting. As
she approached the house to enter, flow looking ill-tempered, a woman of
her acquaintance met her. After a few mi