“No one is useless in this world,” retorted the Secretary, “who lightens the burden of it for anyone else.”

“But I assure you I don’t , Mr. Rokesmith,” said Bella, half-crying.

“Not for your father?”

“Dear, loving, self-forgetting, easily-satisfied Pa! Oh, yes! He thinks so.”

“It is enough if he only thinks so,” said the Secretary. “Excuse the interruption: I don’t like to hear you depreciate yourself.”