force--the words
of his love so passionate to madame, which stirred in my own heart
the passion! That I might be stolen! It was the dream of my
youth! And now comes this Hector, far more bold and determined
than this Mr. Dunwodee. That assassin, that brute _began_, but
hesitated. Ah, Hector has not hesitated! Seeing that he would in
any case possess myself, would carry me away, I yielded, but with
honor and grace, Madame. As between Monsieur Dunwodee and
Hector--_il y a une difference_, Madame!"

"_Je crois qu' oui_, Jeanne--_Je le crois_! But it comes to the
same thing, eh? You forsake me?"

"Madame, I confess sometimes in my heart there comes a desire for a
home, for a place where one may abide, where one may cease to
wander."

Josephine sat silent for a moment. In what direction might she
herself now turn for even the humblest friendship? And where was
any home now for her? The recreant maid saw something of this upon
her face.

"Madame," she exclaimed, falling upon her knees in consternation.
"To think I would desert you! In my heart resides nothing but
loyalty for you. How could you doubt?"

But Josephine was wise in her own way. That night Jeanne kissed
her hand dutifully, yet the very next morning she had changed her
mind. With sobs, tears, she admitted that she had decided to leave
service, no longer to be Jeanne, but Madame Hector Fournier. Thus,
at the very time when she most would have needed aid and
attendance, Josephine saw herself about to be left alone.

"But, Madame," said Jeanne, still tearful, returning after brief
absence from the room, "although I leave now for St. Genevieve to
stand before the priest, I shall not see madame left without
attendance. See, I have asked of this Lily person,--_la voici_,
Madame--if she could take service with madame. Madame plans soon
to return to the East. Perhaps this Lily, then--"

"Ma'am, I want to work for you!" broke out Lily suddenly,
stretching out her hands. "I don't want to go back home. I want
to go with you. I cain't go back home--I'd only run away--again.
They'd have to kill me."

Some swift arithmetic was passing through Josephine's mind at the
time. Here, then, was concrete opportunity to set in practice some
of her theories.

"Lily, would you like to come with me as my maid?" she demanded.
"Could you learn, do you think, in case I should need you?"

"Of co'se I could learn, Ma'am. I'd do my very best."

It was thu