In Which Are Sealed Orders

"Thank you, Helena," I said.

"And as to your being any other sort of a coward--that you had
physical fear--that you wouldn't do a man's part--why, I never did
mean that at all. How could I? And if I had--why, even Auntie Lucinda
said your going out after that Chinaman the other night was
heroic--even if he couldn't have cooked a bit!--and you know Auntie
Lucinda has always been against you."

"Yes, and you both called me a coward, because I quit my law office
and ran away from misfortune."

"Yes, we did. And I meant that, too! I say it now to your face, Harry.
But maybe I don't know all about that----"

"Maybe not."

"Well, I wouldn't want to be unjust, of course, but I don't think a
man ought to throw away his life. You're young. You could start over
again, and you ought to have tried. Your father made his own money,
and so did my father--why, look at the Sally M. mine, that has given
me my own fortune. Do you suppose that grew on a bush to be shaken
off? So why couldn't you go out in the same way and do something in
the world--I don't mean just make money, you know, but do something?
That's what a girl likes. And you were able enough. You are young and
strong, and you have your education; and I've heard my father say,
before he died--and other men agreed with him--that you were the best
lawyer at our bar, and that you had an extraordinary mind, and a clear
sense of justice, and, and----"