“I thought you were fast asleep before this.  I sat up waiting for St. Elmo, as I wished to speak to him about some engagements for to-morrow.”

The lady of the house threw herself wearily upon the lounge, and sighed as she unclasped her bracelets and took off the diamond cross that fastened her collar.

“Edna, ring for Hagar.”

“Will you not let me take her place to-night?  I want to talk to you before I go to sleep.”

“Well, then, unlace my gaiters and take down my hair.  Child, what makes you look so very serious?”

“Because what I am about to say saddens me very much.  My dear Mrs. Murray, I have been in this house five peaceful, happy, blessed years; I have become warmly attached to everything about the home where I have been so kindly sheltered during my girlhood, and the thought of leaving it is exceedingly painful to me.”

“What do you mean, Edna?  Have you come to your senses at last, and consented to make Gordon happy?”

“No, no.  I am going to New York to try to make my bread.”

“You are going to a lunatic asylum!  Stuff! nonsense!  What can you do in New York?  It is already overstocked with poor men and women, who are on the verge of starvation.  Pooh! pooh! you look like making your bread.  Don’t be silly.”

“I know that I am competent now to take a situation as teacher in a school, or family, and I am determined to make the experiment immediately.  I want to go to New York because I can command advantages there which no poor girl can obtain in any Southern city; and the magazine for which I expect to write is published there.  Mr. Manning says he will pay me liberally for such articles as he accepts, and if I can only get a situation which I hear is now vacant, I can easily support myself.  Mrs. Powell received a letter yesterday from a wealthy friend in New York who desires to secure a governess for her young children, one of whom is deformed.  She said she was excessively particular as to the character of the woman to whose care she committed her crippled boy, and that she had advertised for one who could teach him Greek.  I shall ask Mrs. Powell and Mr. Hammond to telegraph to her to-morrow and request her not to engage any one till a letter can reach her from Mr. Hammond and myself.  I believe he knows the lady, who is very distantly related to Mrs. Powell.  Still, before I took this step, I felt that I owed it to you to acquaint you with my intention.”

“It is a step which I cannot sanction.  I detest that Mrs. Powell—­I utterly loathe the sound of her name, and I should be altogether unwilling to see you domesticated with any of her ‘friends.’  I am surprised that Mr. Hammond could encourage any such foolish scheme on your part.”

“As yet he is entirely ignorant of my plan, for I have mentioned it to no one except yourself; but I do not think he will oppose it.  Dear Mrs. Murray, much as I love you, I cannot remain here any longer, for I could not continue to owe my bread even to your kind and tender charity.  You have educated me, and only God knows how inexpressibly grateful I am for all your goodness; but now, I could no longer preserve my self-respect or be happy as a dependent on your bounty.”