ow do you know that, and why
should I do it?"

"It is not so mysterious, after all," he answered smiling. "I have no
psychic powers, but I know a little of the Oriental teachings: the
surface of the lake is a mirror, symbolic of illusion and reflecting our
souls, in which alone we must seek the Buddha.--But to-day it is of a
modern divinity I would prefer to speak. These have been hard weeks for
you, Merry, and I have sympathized with you."

"Why,--yes; in a way," she admitted. "But like everything else I do,
they haven't amounted to anything, have they?"

"Haven't they?" he asked pointedly. "Isn't some of that unrest gone now
that you and the dear mother understand each other?"

"Of course. That means everything to me, but again it is I who benefit.
Oh! Mr. Huntington, I want so much to do something for somebody else,
and no matter how hard I try it always turns out that I am the gainer. I
believed I had the opportunity at last, and again I was mistaken. But
this time it wasn't my fault, was it? At least I was ready to do my
part."

"Don't you know that you can't try to do something for some one else
without having it come back to you?"

"Do you expect that what you are doing for Mr. Hamlen will bring you a
reward?"

"It has already given me your friendship. Isn't that enough?"

The color came to Merry's face, and she turned her glance away. "What
can that mean to you who have so many friendships?" she asked.

"It is the friendship I value most among them all."

She looked up at him quickly, startled by the intensity of his tone.
"You can't mean that," she said. "To me it is different. You brought
into my life something which it never had and never would have had
except for you. To me your friendship is the grandest thing I know, but
what can mine mean to you? Something fine and splendid must come in
return for the months you have given Mr. Hamlen. I wish--" she hesitated
a moment but then continued bravely--"yes, I wish it might even bring
you back the girl you loved--and found too late!"

"Merry! child! what are you saying!" he cried.

"Have I hurt you again?"

"Not hurt me; but you make it hard for me to be fair to our friendship."

"Can't we be friends--because of her?"

Huntington turned to her gently, taking her hand in his. His face showed
the force of the emotion which fought for supremacy, but the calmness
with which he spoke evidenced his control.

"I have tried to be fair to our friendshi