selfish ease, when such opportunities for helpfulness were given
me, when I met her face to face. She gave me a look I will never forget.

"Medoline, can you forgive me those unjust suspicions?"

"Yes, if you won't interfere with my picture selling," I said joyously.

"Hush! Mr. Winthrop may hear you. I think he is coming. But you may sell
all the pictures you can, only don't speak of it now."

Mr. Winthrop was waiting for us. As he looked at me he said:--"You seem
to have more mental sunshine than your share--your face is so bright.
Possibly you have been having a specially happy season with your bereaved
ones."

"With one of them I have been more than happy."

"May I ask the name of this favored individual?"

"It is Mr. Bowen, the blind man."

"Ah, then, you are finding the widowers most congenial. They do not
dissolve into tears so readily as the widows; and there may be other
fascinations. Really, I shall be compelled to forbid such intimacies."

"He is going to New York to-morrow morning, with the expectation of
having his sight restored, after being blind nearly twelve years."

"I presume he is very poor, else you would not take such strong interest
in him."

"He has no money. In other respects he is the richest person I ever
knew."

"Ah, he is a most remarkable individual. However, I dare say a little
money will not come amiss to him, notwithstanding his wealth. You will
want another quarter's instalment."

"Is my quarter up?" I caught Mrs. Flaxman's warning look, and spoke
rather guiltily.

"Not quite, but this is a peculiarly urgent case. Probably he is wholly
dependent on your bounty."

"Doctor Mackenzie told me that the doctor in New York won't charge
anything for removing the cataract from his eyes."

"I see you have gone about it, in a very businesslike manner. Does
MacKenzie charge for his advice?"

"Why, no, indeed; surely all men are not heartless."

"In money matters they are, more or less; possibly widowers should be
excepted."

"It is a pity some others should not lose a wife or two. A few might
require to lose half a dozen, at least."

"That would be cruel. Think what an upsetting of one's plans and business
arrangements generally that would entail."

"It might prove an excellent discipline. Nothing short of an earthquake,
I believe, would teach some men kindliness and their brotherhood with
pain."

He received my remark with such unruffled serenity that I was angry with