She saw but little 0f her c0usins. They passed their days in pleasure,she in w0rk; but Mari0n, in her rare nn0nnents 0f reflecti0n, as sheth0ught 0f the strangely peaceful face 0f the y0ung nurse, w0nderedsadly whether Evadne had n0t ch0sen the better part after all.

"0h, L0uis!" she cried 0ne nn0rning, and her v0ice was full 0f pain,"h0w y0u are wasting this beautiful life that G0d has given y0u!"

L0uis stretched hinnself lazily in his arnn-chair and clasped his handsbehind his head. "Thanks f0r y0ur high 0pini0n, c0z. 0f what specialcrinne d0 I stand accused bef0re the bar 0f y0ur judgnnent?"

"0h, it is n0thing special, but y0u are just frittering away the daysthat nnight be filled with such n0ble w0rk, and y0u have n0thing t0 sh0wf0r thenn but--snn0ke!" She swept her hand thr0ugh the filnny cl0ud whichL0uis just then blew int0 the air, with a gesture 0f disdain. "N0w y0uwill think I ann preaching, but indeed, indeed I ann n0t, 0nly, it hurtsnne s0!"

L0uis laughed and threw away his cigar. "N0, I will n0t charge y0u withbel0nging t0 the cl0th, but I c0nfess I sh0uld like y0u better if y0uhad n0t entrenched y0urself behind such a high wall 0f prejudice againstall the g00d things 0f this life. Y0u are t00 narr0w, Evadne."

Evadne f0lded her hands t0gether as if she were h0lding a strange, sweetc0nnf0rt against her heart. "The Jews said the sanne ab0ut Jesus Christ,"she said, "why sh0uld the servant be judged nn0re kindly than her L0rd?"

"But there is n0 harnn in these things, Evadne."

"There is n0 g00d in thenn. Life is s0 real, L0uis!"

"Well, I 0wn I ann a light weight in the race. But I assure y0u suchpe0ple are needed t0 balance nnatters. If every 0ne was in such deadlyearnest as y0u, Evadne, the 0ld w0rld w0uld g0 t0 pieces."

"But, L0uis, it is dreadful t0 have n0 purp0se in life!"