ed from its native soil, was a
shamrock, in the heart of which there gleamed a small diamond of
purest water.

"Why, Mrs. Weld, how beautiful!" exclaimed Edith, flushing with
pleasure; "but--but--isn't the gift a little extravagant for me?"

"You are worthy of a stone ten times the size of that," said her
companion, smiling; "but, if you mean to imply that I have
impoverished myself to purchase it for you, do not fear; for it was a
little ornament that I used to wear when I was a girl, so it costs me
nothing but the pleasure of giving it to you."

"Thank you, a thousand times!" returned the happy girl, with starting
tears, "and I shall prize it all the more for that very reason. Now,
pray pardon me," she added, flushing, as she returned the glasses she
had so playfully captured, "I am afraid I was a little rude to remove
them without your permission."

"Never mind, dear; you have done no harm," said the housekeeper, as
she restored them to their place. "Come, now, we must have our dinner,
or I shall be late, and there must be no mistakes to-night, of all
times."

When the meal was finished, Mrs. Weld hastened away to attend to her
numerous duties, while Edith went slowly upstairs to dress herself for
the evening.

"There is something very, very queer about Mrs. Weld," she mused. "I
do not believe she is what she appears at all. She has come into this
house for some mysterious purpose--as mysterious, I believe, as the
people who have employed her."

CHAPTER X.

"THE GIRL IS DOOMED!--SHE HAS SEALED HER OWN FATE!"

Edith looked very lovely when her toilet for the evening was
completed.

We have never seen her in any but very ordinary costumes, for she had
worn mourning for her dear ones for two years, but if she was
attractive in these somber garments, symbols of her sorrows, she was a
hundred-fold more so in the spotless and dainty dress which was almost
the only souvenir that she possessed of those happy, beautiful days
when she had lived in a Fifth avenue palace, and was the petted
darling of fortune.

There was not a single ornament about her, excepting the pretty chain
and diamond-hearted shamrock which Mrs. Weld had that evening given to
her, and which she had involuntarily kissed before clasping it about
her neck.

Mrs. Goddard had commissioned her to superintend the dressing-rooms,
to see that the maids provided everything needful for the comfort of
her guests and to look in upon them occa