"Tell me what sort of a man Mr. Daly is in other respects," said Mary.

"Oh, he's kind!" she answered with enthusiasm. "He has been a good son
and brother; he is always helping people, and has more friends than
any one in the district. I don't see why he cared for me," she added
with seeming irrelevance.

"It's a great point in his favor that he does care for you, my dear.
Is he steady at his work?"

"When he isn't too busy with politics. He says that he will give them
up, if I insist; but my doing so might prevent his being chosen to
Congress." There was again rueful pride in her plaint.

Mary sat silent for a moment. "He stands convicted of falsehood." She
seemed to be speaking to herself.

"Yes," gasped the girl, as her mentor paused to let the fell
substantive be weighed.

"That seems terrible to me. But you know him better than I do."

Miss Burke's face lighted at the qualification. Yet her quick
intelligence refused to be thus cajoled. "But what would you do in my
place? That's what I wish to know."

Mary winced. She perceived the proud delicacy of the challenge, and
recognized that she had condescendingly shirked the real inquiry.

"It is so hard to put oneself in another's place. The excuses you have