point of her shoe
peeping from under her soft gray dress, expressed a sort of pathetic
humility, "will you give me some idea of your plans, if you have any?"

"They are very vague. I have a small income apart from my uncle's
property. I earnestly hope it will be enough to educate the boys. Then I
must try to find employment--something that will enable me to provide
for myself. Miss Payne is already looking out for me. That is all I can
think of."

"It is a tremendous undertaking for a young girl like you," said
Errington, looking down in deep thought. "But I think I understand that
the cruelest trial of all would be to part with the boys. Still it is
not wise to allow Mrs. Ormonde to thrust her sons on you, though I never
can believe that Ormonde could act so dastardly a part as to refuse to
do his part in maintaining them. There, again, the fear of what society
would say will do more than a sense of justice or honor. I don't believe
Ormonde will dare refuse to contribute his quota to the support of his
wife's sons."

"Perhaps not. I wish I could do without it. But though Ada was harsh and
unreasonable to-day, I am sorry for her. It must be dreadful to be tied
to a man who looks on you as a burden."

"She will manage him. Their natures are admirably suited. Neither is too
exalted. And Mrs. Ormonde has established herself very firmly as
mistress of Castleford and the Colonel."

"I hope so." There was a short silence. Then Errington said, in a low
tone, looking kindly into her face, "I trust you do not feel too
despondent as regards the future."

"Far from it," returned Katherine, with a brief bright smile. "If only
I can bring up my dear boys without too great privations, and fit them
to work their way in life! From my short experience I should say that
riches can buy little true happiness. Extreme poverty is terrible and
degrading. Nor can money alone confer any true joys."

"So I have found," said Errington, thoughtfully; "and I can see that to
you too the finery and distractions which wealth gathers together are
mere dust heaps."

There was a pause, broken by the appearance of Miss Payne, who had only
just discovered that Colonel and Mrs. Ormonde had left, and was not
aware that Katherine had another visitor. After a little further and
somewhat desultory conversation Errington took leave; nor was Katherine
sorry, for the presence of Miss Payne seemed to have set them as far
apart as ever, and how near they