"Offended! At what?" Lois asked as she let her needlework fall upon
her lap.

"At me. Have I done anything to annoy you?"

"I wasn't thinking about you at all, Sammie," and Lois looked him full
in the eyes. "My mind was upon more important things."

"And you don't consider me important?" the young man demanded, visibly
embarrassed.

"Why should I? What have you done that you should be considered
important?"

"But my father is rich, and we belong to a good old family. I am a
gentleman, and that should count for much."

"So you seem to think," was the somewhat sarcastic reply. "I do not
for a moment deny that such things are valuable, but they count for
very little in my estimation of a true man. He must prove his worth in
the battle of life, and show to the world that he is something apart
from how much money his father may have or his family history. Now
what have you done that I should consider you important?"

"Nothing at present, Lois, for I am not through college yet. But I am
going to do great things some day, and then you will change your
opinion of me."

"I hope so," and Lois gave a sigh as she picked up her work.