was always that way, puts his
whole soul into anything he gets interested in and never lets up until
it's accomplished." He waited for some reply, but she was still toying
with the handle of her parasol. Her mind had not been on his proffered
help,--she had not heard him, in fact.

"And, Jack," she went on in the same heart-broken tone through which an
unbidden sob seemed to struggle.

"Yes, I am listening, Corinne,--what is it?"

"I want you to forgive me for the way I have always treated you. I
have--"

"Why, Corinne, what nonsense! Don't you bother your head about such--"

"Yes, but I do, and it is because I have never done anything but be ugly
to you. When you lived with us I--"

"But we were children then, Corinne, and neither of us knew any better.
I won't hear one word of such nonsense. Why, my dear girl--"he had
taken her hand as she spoke and the pair rested on his knee--"do you
think I am--No--you are too sensible a woman to think anything of the
kind. But that is not it, Corinne--something worries you;" he asked
suddenly with a quick glance at her face. "What is it? You shall have
the best in me, and Ruth will help too."

Her fingers closed over his. The touch of the young fellow, so full of
buoyant strength and hope and happiness, seemed to put new life into
her.

"I don't know, Jack." Her voice fell to a whisper. "There may not be
anything, yet I live under an awful terror. Don't ask me;--only tell me
you will help me if I need you. I have nobody else--my stepfather almost
turned me out of his office when I went to see him the other day,--my
mother doesn't care. She has only been here half a dozen times, and that
was when baby was born. Hush,--here comes Ruth,--she must not know."

"But she MUST know, Corinne. I never have any secrets from Ruth, and
don't you have any either. Ruth couldn't be anything but kind to you
and she never misunderstands, and she is so helpful. Here she is. Ruth,
dear, we were just waiting for you. Corinne is nervous and depressed,
and imagines all sorts of things, one of which is that we don't care for
her: and I've just told her that we do?"

Ruth looked into Jack's eyes as if to get his meaning--she must always
get her cue from him now--she was entirely unconscious of the cause of
it all, or why Corinne should feel so, but if Jack thought Corinne was
suffering and that she wanted comforting, all she had was at Corinne's
and Jack's disposal. With a quick movement she