The best, perhaps the only really pleasant part of Nattie's life now, was her evenings, passed almost invariably with Cyn. Indeed, Cyn seemed to be a magnet, around which all gathered--Quimby, although, of course, Cyn herself was not his chief attraction--Celeste Fishblate, who determinedly pushed herself into an intimacy, and Jo Norton, who, had it not been for the fact so loudly proclaimed by himself, of his having no sentiment in his soul, would have been suspected of being on the road to falling in love with Cyn, so strangely was he attracted to her company. But this, of course, was impossible for _him_! "That will not do, dear," Cyn remarked, when Nattie related her little adventure with the young gentleman. "Do you know you have been in a dreadful state of mind ever since 'C' intruded his personality?" Nattie colored a little as she replied, discontentedly, "Oh, it isn't _that_, I assure you; the truth is, I am ambitious, Cyn. I suppose I forgot it, slightly, while I was so interested in 'C;' but I cannot be content with a mere working on from day to day, in the same old routine, and nothing more." Cyn looked at her scrutinizingly, as she asked, "But in what particular way are you ambitious? to be rich, or what?" "Oh! not for money!" Nattie answered, with a slight contempt for that necessary and convenient article. "I am ambitious for fame! I want to be a writer; but when I think of the obstacles in my way to an opening, even, in that direction, I am daunted. I have attacks of energy, it is true, but I fear it is fitful; it comes and goes." "I understand," Cyn replied, with more than wonted seriousness. "Your ambition is great enough to render you useless and discontented, but you need something to stimulate your energy, else it will waste itself in idle dreams. Perhaps love may come to be that motive power; perhaps--" and a shade crossed her sunny face--"some great disappointment." There was a moment's silence, Nattie pondering thoughtfully on these words; and then Cyn continued, "But in the meantime, since you can at present accomplish nothing, why not get all the enjoyment you can out of life, as it goes? So, when the opportunity comes, and you seize it, you will not have to look back on years wasted in vain longings for the then unattainable. _That_ is my philosophy--and I, too, am ambitious." "Your philosophy is cheery, at least," said Nattie, smiling. "But I am afraid it is very hard for ambitious people to take life easy: and that is not all of my troubles," she continued, gayly, "I can't get anything good to eat!" "Poor child," said Cyn, with mock seriousness, "this _is_ coming from the sublime to the ridiculous. What is the cause of the lamentable fact?" "Oh! I am so tired of both boarding-houses and restaurants. In the former they never have what one likes--and ah! such steak!--while in the latter you have to pick out all the cheap dishes, or ruin yourself at a meal." Cyn laughed.