"Not that it matters," she interrupted, hurriedly. "Of course, if we had
anything with which to compensate you--anything adequate, that is--I
don't say that we shouldn't consider seriously the suggestion you were
good enough to make. But we haven't. As I understand it, we haven't
anything at all. That settles the question definitely. I hope you see."

"Isn't it conceivable," he persisted, "that a man might like to do a
thing, once in a way, without--"

"Without asking for an equivalent in return? Possibly. But in this case
it would only make it harder for me."

"How so?"

"By putting me under an overwhelming obligation to a total stranger--an
obligation that I couldn't bear, while still less could I do away with
it."

"I don't see," he reasoned, "that you'd be under a greater obligation to
me in that case than you are to others already."

"At present," she corrected, "we're not under an obligation to any one.
My father and I are contending with circumstances; we're not asking
favors of individuals. I know we owe money--a great deal of money--to a
good many people--"

"Who are total strangers, just like me."

"Not total strangers just like you--but total strangers whom I don't
know, and don't know anything about, and who become impersonal from