“So it would, but there is one important draw-back to such a scheme.”
“What?”
“My inability to write stories. You have proved that you are able to do your part of such a work, and I have proved myself unable to do mine. From what has happened to-day it is evident that I am not even fit for a reporter’s position, and that is only the first stepping-stone in literary work.”
“Myles Manning, you mustn’t talk so about yourself! You know you have done splendidly ever since you began on the Phonograph, and if that horrid Mr. Haxall wasn’t a perfect stupid, he’d know that he had done a very foolish thing in letting you go. He will wish he had you back, and try to get you too, some day; see if he don’t. Then what a triumph it will be to be able to say: ‘No, I thank you, sir, I have found something better to do.’”
“It is impossible to fancy myself saying any such thing,” answered Myles, with a smile—the first that his face had worn in hours. “But, Kate, it is you who have done splendidly, and it is I who ought to be proud of having such a sister. I am proud, too, just as proud as I can be, of you, but I can’t take your money, dear.”
“Oh, Myles, what shall I do with the hateful money if you don’t take it? That is the one thing that makes money worth having—the power, I mean, that it gives us to help those we love. Don’t take away this great pleasure from me. Don’t, there’s a good boy.”
So these generous young souls struggled with each other, the one to give, and the other against receiving the gift, until finally they reached a compromise. Myles agreed to take ten dollars from his sister as a loan, while she declared she should put the rest aside for his use, and should not touch it so long as there was the slightest chance of his needing it. Then they discussed plans for the future, and Kate said:
“Why not be your own city editor, Myles, and give yourself interesting assignments to work up? I’m sure there are lots of things people want to know about, and if you would only write them up some of the papers would be certain to take your articles—and pay you well for them too.”
“The trouble is there are so many fellows doing that very thing,” answered Myles.