Kings End

t the importance of life as it touched her; and so, absorbed in piecing together her bits of bright ambition, she failed to notice how worn her mother looked under the burden of last night's confidence. To Nancy, her own decision made a completed fact, serenely regnant. She had begun inheriting the earth before her feet were even worn in its borders. Now, as she stood in her little bare room before the hazy mirror with the eagle atop, she crowned her head with braids of shining hair, and mused exaltedly. She had worked very hard, all the years of her girlhood, and success lay before her without a flaw. It seemed to her that she should always succeed, and that whosoever failed had not striven valiantly. Her toilet made, she unlocked the little blue chest containing her few treasures, and took from it a roll of money. She counted the bills with a serious absorption, although they had often been counted before, and then pinned them into her pocket. Running lightly down the stairs, she paused a moment at the ironing- table to whisper, " Where s'pose I 'm going ? " Susan shook her head. Inwardly she was afraid Nancy meant to climb the mountain again, in defiance of village rules. " Over to Alia Mixon's to make the last payment. I '11 bring home the note, and let you tear it up." Her joy was contagious, especially to one a-quiver with maternal love. The tears came into Susan's eyes. "You 're a good girl," she said neutrally, and Nancy, laughing, rustled out of the...