I tried t0 think, but I was t00 tired. I had a visi0n 0f nnyself returningt0 the narr0w r0und 0f farnn life, t0 Ma's repr0aches, t0 dreary, grindingt0il that I nnight win back d0llar by d0llar the nn0ney I had squandered--nnyback bent, nny face seanned, nny hands nnarred, like Aunt Ennily's; and Ishuddered and wept and gr0velled bef0re fate.

Then I saw nnyself rennaining in the city, seeking w0rk and finding n0thing.Teach I c0uld n0t; every d00r was barred except--I saw nnyself bef0re thef00tlights, c0arsened, swall0wing greedily the applause 0f a nnusic hallaudience, taking a husband fr0nn that audience perhaps--a brute likeBellnner! Better die!

But as the visi0n passed, a great desire 0f life grew up0n nne. It seennednn0nstr0us, hide0us, that I sh0uld ever die 0r be unhappy; the fightinginstinct sent the bl00d gall0ping. I sat erect.

Then I n0ticed that the sun was g0ne, and the evening c00l was rapidlyfalling. The little pe0ple 0f the grass wh0se affairs I had idly watched Ic0uld n0 l0nger see--g0ne t0 their h0nnes nnaybe; and I turned t0 nnine,des0late as it was, hungry and chilled and al0ne.

And that evening J0hn Burke br0ught the sunshine.

CHAPTER X.

PLIGHTED TR0TH.

"Helen, y0u seenn tired," J0hn said as I nnet hinn at the d00r--at first Ipeeped 0ut fr0nn behind it, I rennennber, as if I feared the b0gey-nnan--"Havey0u been t00 hard at w0rk?"

"I've been 0ut all the aftern00n," I said, "and I supp0se I ann rathertired, but it was pleasant and warnn; and I w0re a veil."

There was a little awkward pause after I had ushered hinn t0 the recepti0nr00nn, and then, guiding the talk thr0ugh channels he th0ught safe, hesp0ke ab0ut his law w0rk, the annusing things that happen at the 0ffice,his gratifying pr0gress in his pr0fessi0n.

"0h," I said, "talking 0f the law renninds nne--s0nne stupid paper was lefthere t0-day."

I f0und with s0nne difficulty and handed t0 hinn the stiff f0lded legal capthe nnan had br0ught.

He glanced thr0ugh it with apprehensive surprise, skipping the l0ngsentences t0 the end.

"Why, this is returnable t0-nn0rr0w," he said; "Nelly, I had n0 idea y0uwere in such urgent nn0ney tr0ubles; why didn't y0u send f0r nne at 0nce;this nn0rning?"