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190 "It seems so hopeless," Nattie answered, dispiritedly; "there is no opening anywhere."

"But it will never do to wait for that, you know. If the world is a closed oyster, we must open it. Isn't that the way Cyn did?" said Clem, half surmising the realization of the difference between Cyn's brilliant success and her own plodding along that had caused her dejection; and as he spoke, he took her hand in his, but Nattie snatched it quickly away.

"Ah! Cyn!" she said in sudden and uncoatrollable jealousy, "of course you could never expect me to compare with her!"

Clem looked at her a moment, then some emotion flushed his face, and he would have spoken had not Miss Kling, disgusted with her inability to catch a word from inside, opened her door, saying sharply,

"Are you coming in, Miss Rogers?"

"Certainly," Nattie replied quickly, and already ashamed of her jealous outburst "Good night, Clem."

"But will you not come over and congratulate Cyn on her success?" he asked, detaining her. "I heard a carriage just stop, and think she is in it."

"Not to-night; to-morrow," said Nattie, hastily, and left him before he could again urge the request.