"
Naturally I had to elaborate this succinct statement before my sister
could understand its full significance. Then dismay overwhelmed her.
Surely something could be done. The fortunes of Jane and herself were
at my disposal to set me on my feet again. We were brother and sisters;
what was theirs was mine; they couldn't see me starve. I thanked her for
her affection--the dear creatures would unhesitatingly have let me play
ducks and drakes with their money, but I explained that though poor, I
was still proud and prized the independence of the tax-collector above
the position of the pensioner of Love's bounty.
"Tom must get you something to do," she declared.
"Tom must do nothing of the kind. Let me say that once and for all,"
I returned peremptorily. "I've made my position clear to you,
because you're my sister and you ought to be spared any further
misinterpretation of my actions. But to have you dear people intriguing
after billets for me would be intolerable."
"But what are you going to _do_?" she cried, wringing her hands.
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