Annie Kilburn

They were on the same ground, but they had reached it from starting-points

so opposite that Annie felt it very unsafe. In her fear of getting into

some controversy with Mr. Peck that might interfere with her designs

regarding Idella, she had a little insincerity in saying: "Mrs. Munger's

bad faith in that was certainly unimportant compared with her part in poor

Mr. Putney's misfortune. That was the worst thing; that's what I

_can't_ forgive."

Mr. Peck said nothing to this, and Annie, somewhat daunted by his silence,

proceeded. "I've had the satisfaction of telling her what I thought on both

points. But Ralph--Mr. Putney--I hear, has escaped this time with less than

his usual--"

She did not know what lady-like word to use for spree, and so she stopped.

Mr. Peck merely said, "He has shown great self-control;" and she perceived

that he was not going to say more. He listened patiently to the reasons she

gave for not having offered Mrs. Putney anything more than passive sympathy

at a time when help could only have cumbered and kindness wounded her, but

he made no sign of thinking them either necessary or sufficient. In the

meantime he had not formally consented to Idella's remaining with her, and

Annie prepared to lead back to that affair as artfully as she could.

"I really want you to believe, Mr. Peck, that I think very differently on

_some_ points from what I did when we first talked about the Social

Union, and I have you to thank for seeing things in a new light. And you

needn't," she added lightly, "be afraid of my contaminating Idella's mind

with any wicked ideas. I'll do my best to keep her from coveting kittens

or property of any kind; though I've always heard my father say that

civilisation was founded upon the instinct of ownership, and that it was

the only thing that had advanced the world. And if you dread the danger

of giving her advantages, as you say, or bettering her worldly lot," she

continued, with a smile for his quixotic scruples, "why, I'll do my best to

reduce her blessings to a minimum; though I don't see why the poor little

thing shouldn't get some good from the inequalities that there always must

be in the world."

"I am not sure there always must be inequalities in the world," answered

the minister.

"There always have been," cried Annie.

"There always had been slavery, up to a certain time," he replied.

"Oh, but surely you don't compare the two!" Annie pleaded with what she

really regarded as a kind of lunacy in the good man. "In the freest

society, I've heard my father say, there is naturally an upward and

downward tendency; a perfect level is impossible. Some must rise, and some

must sink."