She knew she could trust Thirlwell, but remembering a remark of Mabel Farnam's, she asked herself why he had offered his help.

She could find no satisfactory answer and thought it better to leave the puzzle alone.
"But you are doubtful," she said.

"Confidence is a strong driving force." "In a way, that's true," he agreed.

"Still it sometimes drives you into mistakes, and when you get to work in the right way it doesn't matter much if you're confident or not.

Your feelings can't alter Nature's laws.