“I can’t believe it! I believe that everybody has a destiny; I don’t know what mine is, but I undoubtedly have it. I wouldn’t have you think that because I fell on my fiddle and smashed it and lost my chance of immortality that way, I am a person without accomplishments. I would have you know that I’m a man with a profession. I’m a mining engineer and can prove it by my diploma, and--no other way!” His spirits were high; they talked and laughed together without restraint. He had not in a long time laughed and chaffed with a girl in this way. This walk through the dusk was oddly complete in itself; he felt no curiosity about her now, no interest in her life beyond this half-hour. Her simplicity, the frank way in which she disclosed her own ignorance, her serious belittling of her work in the art school, interested and touched him. She did not quite understand him; she was not used to his kind of banter. His mention of his youthful study of the violin she had taken soberly and she talked of her own aims to show her sympathy. “There are so many students all over the world studying art that it seems silly for me to be wasting time over it. I had better be learning to do office work or how to sell things in a shop, or how to cook for some of these East End people, or dust rooms and wait on table. But sometimes my teachers have praised me, and that puts off the evil day when I shall have to come down to hard work and burn my portfolio----” “Just as I smashed my fiddle! But no! I tell you, the fates have charge of our business. They are the supreme and ultimate court--the lords of high decision. They have already fixed the fabulous prices which you are to get for your portraits. My sister will undoubtedly have you paint hers. If you and she are friends you can’t escape. Fanny’s always having her picture painted.” “Oh, but I’m not so foolish as to think I could do portraits--not if I lived a thousand years. My ambition stops at pen and ink. If I can only learn to be just a little bit of an illustrator I shall be satisfied.” “Excellent! I approve of that! It’s just as hard, they tell me, and the market is better! When you are not studying or helping at the settlement house or listening to music what do you do? You must have a scheme of life all worked out for yourself.” “Oh, I often go for long walks, in the afternoon--take a trolley as far as it will carry me and then strike off for the hills, and walk and walk and walk.” “I suppose you carry a sketch book to see how nature compares with the landscapes at the Institute?” “No; landscape is beyond me; it’s too big for me. People interest me more, children particularly.” “Well, of course if you want juvenile models I needn’t offer myself.” “No, you needn’t,” she said with so crisp an emphasis that he laughed. “But you might take me along to sit by and sharpen the pencils; that would save you a lot of bother.” “It might, but you see I use ink!”