Indeed, I will be careful."

Then they sat silent again.

"Out west," he said at last dreamily. "Out west. I've always wanted
to go west. Not just this way, but--maybe it is our chance, Carol."

"Of course it is. We'll just rest and play a couple of months, and
then come back better than ever. No, let's get a church out there and
stay forever. That will be Safety First. Isn't it grand we have that
money in the bank, David? Think how solemn it would be now if we were
clear broke, as we were before we decided to economize and start a
bank-account."

David nodded, smiling, but the smile was grave. The little
bank-account was very fine, but to David, lying there with the wreck of
his life about him, the outlook was solemn in spite of it.




CHAPTER IX

UPHEAVAL

"Forty-eight, forty-nine, fifty, fifty-one, fifty-two,
fifty-three,--for goodness' sake!--fifty-four, fifty-five." Carol
looked helplessly at her dusty hands and mopped her face desperately
with her forearm.