sat by the window
where, but for the intervening foliage, Mavis would have been able to
see her old home.

"This is our best chance of a quiet talk, so I'll come to the point at
once," began Mrs Devitt.

"By all means," said Mavis, as Miss Spraggs took up a book and
pretended to be interested in its contents.

"How soon do you require a situation?"

"At once."

"Has Miss Mee applied to anyone else in the neighbourhood on your
account?"

"Not that I'm aware of."

"And you yourself, have you written to anyone here?"

"There's no one I could write to. There's not one of my father's old
friends I've kept up. They've all forgotten my very existence, years
ago."

"Sure?"

"Who am I to remember?" asked Mavis simply.

It was on Mrs Devitt's lips to give the girl Sir Archibald's message,
but the thought of her unmarried step--daughter restrained her. She
addressed Mavis rather hurriedly (she tried hard to act
conscientiously):

"I may as well say at once that the opportunity that presented itself,
when I wrote to Miss Mee, has passed."

The room seemed to move round Mavis. Mrs Devitt continued, as she
noticed the look of dismay on the girl's face:

"But I need hardly tell you that I will do all I can to do something
for you."

"Thank you," said Mavis.

"Can't you get anything to do in London?"

"I might."

"Have you tried?"

"A little."

Mavis felt tears welling into her eyes; she would never have forgiven
herself if she had displayed the extremity of weeping before these
people, who, after all, were not of her social world. She resolved to
change the subject and keep any expression of her disappointment till
she was safe from unsympathetic eyes.

"Did you know my father?" she asked.

"I didn't live here, then. I married Mr--my husband six years ago."

"I suppose he knew him?"

"I gather so."

Very soon after, the two men came into the drawing-room, having
considerably curtailed the time they usually devoted to their cigars.

"We were discussing getting something to do for Miss Keeves," said Mrs
Devitt.

"You haven't thought of anything?" asked her husband.

"Not yet," replied his wife.

"I suppose you wouldn't care to go into an office?" he continued.

"A lot of girls do that kind of thing nowadays," said Mavis.

"Or a shop?" put in Miss Spraggs.

Mavis glanced up.

"I mean a--flower shop," corrected Miss Spraggs, misliking the look in
Mavis's yellow eyes.

Mavis looked towards