went on to persuade and explain; it was necessary.

"We can't dance, Christa, for no one would dance with us; we can't wear
flowers in our hats, for no one would admire them. I suppose you have
the sense to see that? The men that come here are a pretty easy-going
rough lot, but they draw a line somewhere. Now I've kept you like a lady
so far, and I'll go on doing that to the end" (This was Ann's paraphrase
for respectability); "so if you don't want to sit at home and mope,
we've got to go in for being religious and go to church and meetings.
The minister will come to see us, and all that sort will take to
speaking to us, and I'll get you into Sunday school. There are several
very good-looking fellows that go there, and there's a class of real
big girls taught by a Young-Men's-Christian-Association chap. He'd come
to see you, you know, if you were in his class."

Christa was perfectly consoled, perfectly satisfied; she even showed her
sister some of the animation which had hitherto come to her only when
she was flirting with men.

"Ann," she said earnestly, "you are very splendid. I got up thinking
there weren't no good in living at all."

Ann eyed her sharply. Was one set of actions the same to Christa as
another? and was she content to forget all their own shame and all her
father's wretched plight if she could only have a few pleasures for
herself? It was exactly the passive state that she had desired to evoke
in Christa; but there are many spectres that come to our call and then
appal us with their presence!

Ann went on with her work. She was not in the habit of indulging