Page:Barbour--Peggy in the rain.djvu/96

 are to play in it. May I ask very humbly where you acquired all these startling—for they're startling to me, I confess—all these startling and interesting theories?"

Mrs. Ames smiled. "Some of them were your father's, Gordon. Some of them are my own. Those that are mine I've got by reading and listening and observing. You are too young yet to bother your head with such things, I suppose. By and by, though, you will evolve a theory of your own. I don't know what it will be, but you'll have it. A theory that explains things to your own mind, at least, is a great comfort when you get on in years. It's like having something solid under your feet, something to stand on, if you see what I mean." "Yes, I understand," replied Gordon thoughtfully. "And I rather like your—platform, Mums. It sounds hopeful. I confess that you're more optimistic about the ultimate result than I am—or should be if I stopped to consider it—but optimism costs no more than pessimism, and I guess it wears better. Some day, when I don't have to journey to Brooklyn to see about having