Now that they were alone, Gregory said, earnestly, "I shall never doubt you again."
"I hope you never will doubt that I wish to do you good, Mr. Gregory," she replied, passing him a cup of tea.
"You have done me more good in a few brief hours than I ever hoped to receive. Miss Walton, how can I repay you?"
"By being a better friend to yourself. Commence by eating this."
He did not find it very difficult to comply. After a little time he said, "But my conscience condemns me for caring too much for myself." "And no doubt your conscience is right. The idea of being a friend to yourself and going against your conscience!"
"Then I have ever been my own worst enemy."
"I can believe that, and so you'll continue to be if you don't take another piece of toast."
"And yet there has always seemed a fatal necessity for me to do wrong and go wrong. Miss Walton, you are made of different clay from me and most people that I know. It is your nature to be good and noble."
"Nonsense!" said Annie, with a positive frown. "Different clay indeed! I imagine you do wrong for the same reason that I do, because you wish to; and you fail in doing right because you have nothing but your weak human will to keep you up."
"And what keeps you up, pray?"