re chance of saving them than if they
were going down in mid-ocean! She's only a child--only just
seventeen--and already she's gone through a lifetime of miseries. And
I, like a fool, I've often been angry with her; I was angry yesterday.
How can she help her nature? How can we any of us help what we're
driven to in a world like this? Clara isn't made to be one of those who
slave to keep themselves alive. Just a chance of birth! Suppose she'd
been the daughter of a rich man; then everything we now call a fault in
her would either have been of no account or actually a virtue. Just
because we haven't money we may go to perdition, and comfortable people
tell us we've only ourselves to blame. Put _them_ in our place!'

Snowdon's face had gone through various changes as Sidney flung out his
vehement words. When he spoke, it was in a tone of some severity.

'Has she no natural affection for her father? Does she care nothing for
what trouble she brings him?'

Sidney did not reply at once; as he was about to speak, Snowdon bent
forward suddenly and touched his arm.

'Let me see her. Let me send Jane to her to-morrow morning, and ask her
to come here. I might--I can't say--but I might do some good.'

To this Sidney gave willing assent, but without sanguine expectation.
In further talk it was agreed between them that, if this step had no
result, John Hewett ought to be immediately informed of the state of
things.

This was at ten o'clock on Sunday evening. So do we play our
tragi-comedies in the eye of fate.

The mention of Jane led to a brief conversation regarding her before
Sidney took his leave. Since her recovery she had been going regularly
to school, to make up for the time of which she had been defrauded by
Mrs. Peckover. Her grand-father's proposal was, that she should
continue thus for another six months, after which, he said, it would be
time for her to learn a business. Mrs. Byass had suggested the choice
of artificial-flower making, to which she herself had been brought up;
possibly that would do as well as anything else.

'I suppose so,' was Sidney's reluctant acquiescence. 'Or as ill as
anything else, would be a better way to put it.'

Snowdon regarded him with unusual fixedness, and seemed on the point of
making some significant remark; but immediately his face expressed
change of purpose, and he said, without emphasis:

'Jane must be able to earn her own living.'

Sidney, before going home, walked ro