He told her she ought to come to New York, and draw in the League, or get into some painter's private class; and it was the sense of duty thus appealed to which finally resulted in the hazardous experiment she and her mother were now making.

There were no logical breaks in the chain of their reasoning from past success with boarders in St.Barnaby to future success with boarders in New York.

Of course the outlay was much greater.

The rent of the furnished house they had taken was such that if they failed their experiment would be little less than ruinous.
But they were not going to fail; that was what Alma contended, with a hardy courage that her mother sometimes felt almost invited failure, if it did not deserve it.

She was one of those people who believe that if you dread harm enough it is less likely to happen.