Page:Hard-pan; a story of bonanza fortunes (IA hardpanbonanza00bonnrich).pdf/64

52 This was rather an unexpected problem to solve, but Letitia had no doubts on the subject, and answered promptly:

"I would n't like it at all."

"But there are lots of women who have to—women like you, who have had everything they wanted, and been well taken care of, and then their parents—relations—guardians lose their money, and they have to work."

"I think it would be better for them to marry," said Letitia, sagely. "It 's much better for a woman to marry, and have some one to take care of her, than to have to take care of herself."

"Well, suppose she does n't want to marry, or does n't want to marry the kind of man that asks her, is n't it better for her to work for her living? Would n't a proud, self-respecting woman rather work for her living than—than—than not? You see, Letitia," he said, turning to her with a smile, "how much I think of your opinion."

"Of course, any woman would rather work than go without things. She 'd have to. Why do you want my opinion? Whom do you know that has to work for her living?"

"Oh, no one in especial," he said, with a careless shrug. "It was just a supposititious case. I was reading a novel about something like that, and I thought I 'd get your opinion as an