The girl felt, sometimes, as she looked at the drooping, attenuated figure, each day growing more ethereal, that her burden was greater than she could bear.  An awful fear haunted her, that she would not give a name, and often, when she had thought of the future till she grew sick with fear, she had felt that work would be a positive relief to her troubled mind.

It was during one of these despondent moods, that she determined, in spite of a former resolution to the contrary, to make another effort to obtain employment as governess.

Looking carefully over the column of wants in a daily paper, she found several advertisements, such as she was in search of.  She copied the address of each one of them, and this accomplished, took from its receptacle the diploma awarded her at the celebrated Institute from which she had graduated with high honors, and which was sufficient proof of her education and accomplishments.  Notwithstanding her previous disappointments, she felt hopeful of success.

The first place on her list took her to a stylish residence on a fashionable avenue.  It reminded her of the luxurious home of which she was once the petted darling, and the contrast with her present humble position was humiliating in the extreme.  She stood for some moments upon the steps, waiting to gather courage to enter.

It was in a maze of bewilderment that she found herself a few moments after, seated in a splendid drawing-room, awaiting the appearance of the mistress of the mansion.

Presently there was the sound of voices, low and musical, and a lady entered, followed by a gentleman.  She was grandly beautiful, and Clemence thought one of the haughtiest women she had ever met.  She rose, and introduced herself, stating her errand, as Miss Graystone, the person desiring the position of governess, referring to the advertisement.

The beautiful eyes fastened themselves inquiringly upon her face.

“There had already been a number of applicants, none of whom had given satisfaction.”

There was a moment’s silence, during which Clemence felt that two pairs of eyes were studying her countenance closely, then a series of questions: 

“What were her accomplishments?”

“Where had she received her education?”

Clemence felt like replying that she had received a good many lessons since she had been pronounced finished by Madame Latour—­lessons in human nature, that all who have the misfortune to be poor and ambitious, must learn, sooner or later.

“Could she dance, draw, paint, give instruction in vocal and instrumental music?”

To all of these, Clemence replied in the affirmative, and, as before, in obedience to a request in the imperative mode, to favor them with a specimen of her musical ability, went forward and took a seat at the piano.

She could not help looking her surprise, when the gentleman rose politely to turn her music.  She had not been accustomed to such little attentions of late, though, in the past, she would have expected them, and treated them as a matter of course.  She noticed the gentleman was handsome and distinguished-looking, with kind, grave eyes, and a smile that illumined his intellectual face like a gleam of sunshine.  His age might have been thirty, possibly thirty-five.