"So it did," said he. "But I wasn't thinking of it in that way. You WILL be in a frightful fix pretty soon, won't you?"
"It looks that way. But you need not be uneasy."
"Oh, I want to help you. I'll do everything I can. I was trying to think of something you could make money at. I was thinking of the stage, but I suppose you'd balk at that. I'll admit it isn't the life for a lady. But the same thing's true of whatever money can be made at. If I were you, I'd go back."
"If I were myself, I'd go back," said Mildred. "But I'm not myself."
"You will be again, as soon as you face the situation."
"No," said she slowly, "no, I shall never be myself again."
"But you could have everything a woman wants. Except, of course—perhaps— But you never struck me as being especially sentimental."
"Sentiment has nothing to do with it," rejoined she. "Do you think I could get a place on the stage?"
"Oh, you'd have to study a while, I suppose."
"But I can't afford that. If I could afford to study, I'd have my voice trained."