know, you first
of course--it was too bad! your having to go off at that exact moment.
Then I had to tell mother--because--well you'll see presently. Now
dear--just let me say it _all_--before you--do anything."

"Say away, my darling. I trust you perfectly."

She flashed a grateful look at him. "It is this way, my dear. I have
two, three, yes four, things to consider:--My own personal problem--my
family's--yours--and a social one."

"My family's?" he asked, with a faint shade of offence in his tone.

"No no dear--your own," she explained.

"Better cut mine out, Little Girl," he said. "I'll consider that
myself."

"Well--I won't talk about it if you don't want me to. There are the
other three."

"I won't question your second, nor your imposing third, but isn't
the first one--your own personal problem--a good deal answered?" he
suggested, holding her close for a moment.

"Don't!" she said. "I can't talk straight when you put it that way."

She rose hurriedly and took a step or two up and down. "I don't
suppose--in spite of your loving me, that I can make you see it as I
do. But I'll be just as clear as I can. There are some years before
us before we can be together. In that time I intend to go away and
undertake a business I am interested in. My purpose is to--develop the
work, to earn money, to help my family, and to--well, not to hinder
you."

"I don't understand, I confess," he said. "Don't you propose to tell me
what this 'work' is?"

"Yes--I will--certainly. But not yet dear! Let me try to show you how I
feel about it."

"Wait," said he. "One thing I want to be sure of. Are you doing this
with any quixotic notion of helping me--in _my_ business? Helping me to
take care of my family? Helping me to--" he stood up now, looking very
tall and rather forbidding, "No, I won't say that to you."

"Would there be anything wrong in my meaning exactly that?" she asked,
holding her own head a little higher; "both what you said and what you
didn't?"

"It would be absolutely wrong, all of it," he answered. "I cannot
believe that the woman I love would--could take such a position."

"Look here, Ross!" said the girl earnestly. "Suppose you knew where
there was a gold mine--_knew it_--and by going away for a few years you
could get a real fortune--wouldn't you do it?"

"Naturally I should," he agreed.

"Well, suppose it wasn't a gold mine, but a business, a new system
like those cigar stores--or--some patent am