ully a
century or more, great, high-backed chairs with heavy carvings, done up
in leather, and a polished, inlaid floor, with here and there a velvet
rug or tiger's skin.

The old lady was seated at the table as Harriet ushered in the young
girl. She smiled, and nodded a welcome. Opposite her sat a little old
man with large ears, who peered at her sharply from over a pair of
double-barreled, gold-rimmed eyeglasses.

"This is the young person whom I have just engaged as my companion,"
said Mrs. Bassett, shrilly, turning toward her husband.

"H'm!" ejaculated the old gentleman. "What did you say this young
woman's name was?"

"Bain," she replied.

"Hey?" he exclaimed, holding his right hand trumpet fashion, to his ear.
"Give me the name a little louder."

"Miss Bain-- Jessie Bain!" shouted his wife, in an ear-splitting voice
that made every nerve in Jessie's body throb and quiver.

"Ah--h'm-- Miss Bain," he repeated; adding, as he cleared out his
throat: "I am very anxious to have the papers read while we breakfast.
You may as well begin by reading this morning's reports," he said,
handing her a paper which lay folded beside his plate. "You may turn to
the stock reports first, Miss Bain. Third column on the first page, Miss
Bain."

She had scarcely finished the first paragraph ere the old gentleman
commanded her to stop.

"Can you understand one word that this young woman is reading?" he
inquired, turning sharply to his wife.

"No. Miss Bain must read louder," she said. "I do not quite catch it."

The perspiration stood out in great balls on Jessie's pale face. She had
raised her voice to almost a shout already, and her throat was beginning
to ache terribly, for the strain upon it was very great. How she ever
struggled down to the bottom of that column, she never knew. The
appearance of the breakfast tray was a welcome relief to her.

"You read very nicely," complimented the old gentleman. "I enjoy
listening to you. I shall give you the privilege of reading all my
papers aloud every forenoon."

Jessie looked helplessly at him. The strain had been so great that her
throat pained her terribly; but she made no demur. How could she?

At that moment the door swung slowly open, and a tall, beautiful girl
entered.

Jessie knew her at the first startled glance. It was the lovely girl
whom she had heard talking to her maid about her, but a little while
before.

She took the seat at the end of the table withou