Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER V A SURPRISE AND A REVELATION "Are you in good humor, now, schoolma'am? " asked Mr. Wilson, as they started down the slope homeward. "I'm always good-natured when people look up to me," replied Inez, smiling down at him from the upper path where she walked. "Aw, yes," he answered, swinging himself in front and above her on the side hill, "then you will oblige me by telling me what you were going to tell me about your profession." "You seem curious." "Surely die of- curiosity if you don't tell me." "You deserve no reward so I will tell you for punishment, as I do the children at school. You accused me of having no thought or idea apart from school. If I didn't, that alone would suffice. It is a large enough work in itself—a lifework, so to speak. Think of the responsibility of training those children to live and live aright." "Don't want to think. Makes me tired. I'd advise you not to; it'll make you look old and lose your beauty," glancing at her to note the effect of this shot. "My beauty!" indignantly. "As if one's beauty (should they possess any) could weighagainst doing one's duty in teaching or any other work. I have not as yet looked upon teaching as my lifework. I am thinking seriously of making it so. But whether I do or do not make it a life- work, I shall surely do what I see to be my duty in that work while engaged in it." She paused from sheer lack of breath to proceed. "Aw, don't. It makes me feel awful to hear you talk of 'lifework'; to think of your burying yourself in a schoolroom with a lot of sassy kids. Come out of it, do. Have a good time and stop talking of duty and such disagreeable things." "You always misunderstand me, Mr. Wilson. Surely you know and feel it. I can't explain, but some way I just long to help a little...