"
"You can laugh all you like," said Marian; "I don't mind a speck, for I'm
sure I can do it; I've been talking to Miss Fischer, she's written lots
of books, you know, and stories, too, and she says it's awfully easy if
you have a taste for it."
"Of course it is," said Patty; "that's just what I told you. If you have
a taste--good taste, you know--and plenty of will-power and stamps, you
can write anything you want to; and I believe you'll do it. Go in and
win, Marian! You can put me in your book, if you want to."
"Willpower isn't everything, Patty," said Nan, whose face had assumed a
curious and somewhat wistful look; "at least, it may be in literature,
but it won't do all I want it to."
"What do you want, girlie?" said Patty. "I never knew you had an
ungratified ambition gnawing at your heart-strings."
"Well, I have; I want to be a singer."
"You do sing beautifully," said Marian. "I've heard you."
"Yes, but I mean a great singer."
"On the stage?" inquired Patty.
"Yes, or in concerts; I don't care where, but I mean to sing wonderfully;
to sing as I feel I could sing, if I had the opportunity."
"You mean a musical education and foreign study and all those things?"
said Patty.
"Yes," said Nan.
"But after all that you might fail," said Marian, remembering her own
experiences.
"Yes, I might, and probably I should. It's only a dream, you know, but we
were talking about ambitions, and that's mine.
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