His scorn was all turned to concern now. He had not meant to distress Helen so much, only to impress upon her the importance of not letting financial worries reach her father. He looked at the poor stricken little woman who seemed to have shrivelled up into a wizened little child who had just been punished. Had he been too severe in his harangue? Well, nothing short of severity would reach the selfish heart of Mrs. Carter. But Helen--Helen was not selfish, only thoughtless and young. He had not meant to grieve her like this. "I'm sorry," was all he could say. "It seems awful that we should be so blind that you should have to say such things to us," said Helen, trying to control her voice. "I know I am a worthless woman," said the poor little mother plaintively. "Nobody ever expected me to be anything else and I have never been anything else. I don't understand finance--I don't understand life. Please call Douglas and Nan here, Helen. I want to speak to them." "Let me do it," said the young doctor eagerly. He felt that running away from the scene of disaster would be about the most graceful thing he could do just then. "I believe I should like you to be here if you don't mind." Nan and Douglas were quickly summoned, indeed they were near the cabin, eagerly waiting to hear the outcome of the interview that they well knew Dr. Wright was having with their mother. "My daughters," began the little lady solemnly, "I have just come to the realization of my worthlessness. I want all of you to know that I do realize it, and with Dr. Wright as witness I want to resign in a way as--as--as a guardian to you. Your judgment is better than mine and after this I am going to trust to it rather than to my own. I know nothing about money, nothing about economy. Douglas, you will have to be head of the family until your poor father can take up his burdens again. Whatever you think best to do, I will do. Treat me about as you treat Bobby and Lucy--no, not Lucy--even Lucy's judgment is better than mine." Douglas was on her knees by the bedside, holding her mother in her arms. "Oh, mumsy! Mumsy! Don't talk that way about yourself. It 'most kills me." Nan buried her face in her hands. She was sure she felt worse than any of them because she had given voice to exactly the same truth concerning her mother in her conversation with Douglas and Helen. Dr. Wright would have been glad if he had never been born, but since he had been he would have welcomed with joy an earthquake if it had only come at that moment and swallowed him up. Would Helen ever forgive him? He had no idea he was having such an effect on Mrs. Carter. She had seemed to him heartless and selfish and stubborn. She was in reality nothing but a child. She was no more responsible than Bobby himself.