which I could earn my own bread; that she did not think I was clever enough to be a governess, so she advised my to apprentice myself to a dressmaker.  I had seen enough of teaching in school, so I took her advice.  At the same time she gave me some papers my mother had left for me. They fully explained why my existence was an offence—­why I belonged to nobody.  It was a bitter hour when I read my dear mother’s miserable story.  I felt old from that day.  Well, I thanked my father’s sister—­mind you, she was not my aunt—­for what she had done, and promised she should never more be troubled with me.  I have kept my word.”

Katherine, infinitely touched by the picture of sorrow and loneliness this brief story conjured up, took and pressed the thin quivering hand that played nervously with a thimble.  Rachel glanced at her quickly, compressed her lips for an instant, and went on: 

“I will try and tell you all.  You ought to know.  As far as work went, I did very well.  I loved to handle and drape beautiful stuffs—­I enjoy color—­and it pleased me to fit the pretty girls and fine ladies who came to our show-rooms.  It was even a satisfaction to make the plain ones look better.  I should have made friends more easily with my companions but for the knowledge of what I was.  Even this I might have got over—­I am not naturally morbid—­but I could not share their chatter and jests, or care for their love affairs.  They were not bad, poor things! but simply ordinary girls of a class to which it would have been, perhaps, better for me to belong.  With my employers I did fairly well.  They were sometimes just, sometimes very unjust; but when I was out of my time, and receiving a salary, I found I was a valued employee.  Then it came into my mind that I should like to found a business—­a great business.  It seemed rather a ‘vaulting ambition’ for so humble a waif as myself.  But I began to save even shillings and sixpences.  I tried to kill my heart with these duller, lower aims, it ached so always for what it could not find.  I began to think I was growing so useful to madame that she might make me a partner; for even in millinery mental training is of use.”  She stopped, and clasping her hands, she rested them on her knee for a few moments of silence, while her brow contracted as if with pain.  “It is dreadfully hard to go on!” she exclaimed at length, and her voice sounded as if her mouth were parched.

“Then do not mind now; some other time,” said Katherine, softly.

“No,” cried Rachel, with almost fierce energy; “I must finish.  I cannot leave you ignorant of my true story.”  She paused again, and then went on quickly, in a low tone:  “I don’t think I was exactly popular—­certainly not with the men employed in the same house.  I was thought cold and hard, and to me they were all utterly uninteresting.  One or two of the girls I liked, and they were fond of me.”  Another pause.  Then she pushed