Marion sighed, but said no more, and they walked on in silence a few minutes, till Bran said,—
"Marie, I am sorry you are going away. What makes you go?"
"Well, Gerty wants me, and she seems to be so lonely; and if I can do her any good—"
"All right," said Bram. "I hope you are not going because you are not happy at our house; are you?"
Marion took a sudden resolution, perhaps, born of her late emotion:
"I'll tell you just why I do go, Bram, only please don't tell any one. It's just like this: I thought when I came here that I was going to be of great use and do ever so much good, but I haven't done one bit, only made myself ridiculous and made everybody despise me, and I think I would rather go away and begin somewhere else."
"Begin what?" asked Bram.
It was a very simple question, but somehow Marion found she had great difficulty in answering it.
"Well, begin—begin doing good—begin—Well, you know, Bram, if I should do ever so well now, I couldn't ever have any influence after all that has happened. Nobody would have any respect for me, after all the mistakes I have made."
"I don't exactly know what mistakes you mean, Marie. To be sure, it was rather a blunder to burn up Frank's scientific woodpile, but it was no such great matter, after all. And besides, don't you expect to make any mistakes where you are going?"