ing by the fire in Miss Payne's
comfortable though rather old-fashioned drawing-room, the curtains
drawn, the hearth aglow, Miss Payne engaged on a large piece of
patchwork which she had been employed upon for years, while Katherine
read aloud to her. This was a favorite mode of passing the evening; it
saved the trouble of inventing conversation--for Miss Payne was not
loquacious--and it was more sympathetic than reading to one's self. Miss
Payne, it need scarcely be said, had no patience with novels; biography
and travels were her favorite studies; nor did she disdain history,
though given to be sceptical concerning accounts of what had happened
long ago. She had never been so happy and comfortable with any of her
_protegees_ as with Katherine, though, as she observed to her brother,
she did not expect it to last. "Stay till she is a little known, and the
mothers of marriageable sons get about her; then it will be the old
thing over again--dress, drive, dance, hurry-scurry from morning till
night. However, I'll make the most of the present."

Miss Payne, then, and her "favored guest" were cozily settled for the
evening when Bertie entered.

"May I present myself in a frock coat?" he asked, as he shook hands with
Katherine. "I have had rather a busy day, and found myself in your
neighborhood just now, so could not resist looking in."

"At your usual work, I suppose," said Miss Payne, severely. "Pray have
you had anything to eat?"

"Yes, I assure you. I dined quite luxuriously at Bethnal Green about an
hour and a half ago."

"Ha! at a coffee-stall, I suppose; a cup of coffee and a ha'p'orth of
bread. I must insist on your having some proper food." Miss Payne put
forth her hand toward the bell as she spoke.

"Do not give yourself the trouble; I really do not want anything, nor
will I take anything beyond a cup of tea." Bertie drew a chair beside
Katherine, asked what she was reading, and talked a little about the
news of the day. Then he fell into silence, his eyes fixed on the fire,
a very grave expression stilling his face.

"What are you thinking of?" asked his sister. "What misery have you been
steeping yourself in to-day?"

"Misery indeed," he echoed. Then, meeting Katherine's eyes fixed upon
him, he smiled. "Of course I see misery every day," he continued, "but I
don't like to trouble you with too much of it. To-day I met with an
unusually hard case, and I am going to ask you for some help toward
righting