nd unreal. At twenty-one I am my own mistress. Then probably my
life of ease will come to an end."

"Ah, you have dreams of a career. From what my servants tell me I
concluded you were not one of our regulation, conventional young ladies."

My cheeks flushed; for this was a tender place for her to touch.

"Is Mr. Winthrop pleased that you are so thoughtful of the poor, and so
generous in your impulses?"

"Really, Mrs. Le Grande, you would make an excellent lawyer. I do not
think I have had so many personal questions since I came to America.
School girls forget themselves sometimes, when they are of a very
inquisitive disposition."

She looked me fully in the eyes as she said: "You have been wonderfully
patient and very circumspect. I am sure in his heart Mr. Winthrop
respects you even if he is at times a trifle cavalier in his behavior."
Her eyes were still upon me with the innocent, childlike expression on
her face I was beginning to understand and fear. I said very calmly: "He
can be exceedingly fascinating when he chooses, and if he really cared
for one, I cannot imagine anything he would hesitate to do for them,
provided it was honorable. I could not conceive him stooping to a mean or
unworthy action."

"Mr. Winthrop will be flattered when I repeat your words."

"Then you know him?"

"You will think so when you hear my story."

CHAPTER XXI.

MRS. LE GRANDE'S STORY.

"Did you ever hear that Mr. Winthrop was within one day of being
married?"

My surprise at first rendered me speechless; but at last I murmured,
"No."

"Then you have never heard the tragedy of his life. You have heard that
for some reason he was embittered against our sex."

"A mere hint."

"So I should judge, or the rest would also have been told. Your
acquaintance have been remarkably guarded. Well, I will tell you all
about it."

"I do not wish you to tell me. I think Mr. Winthrop desires I should
never know the particulars of that circumstance, else Mrs. Flaxman
would have told me."

"You are very sensitive about your guardian. Women cannot afford such
fine sense of honor. Men do not treat us in that way. If they find we
have a skeleton concealed somewhere, they will not rest until it is
brought out into the glaring light, for every evil eye to gloat on."

"Not every man. Many of them would help us to conceal what gave us pain.
I believe Mr. Winthrop is one of them. Then should I listen to what he
wishes buried in ob