etreat
now drawing to a close had solved nothing, that the real solution of her
life was as far off as ever.

"Then I may take it that you will stay with us till Monday. I will not
weary you with our repeated thanks for what you have done for us. You
know that we are very grateful, and shall never forget you in our
prayers, but you will not mind my thanking you again for the pleasure
your singing has given us. You have sung every day. You really have been
very kind."

"I beg of you not to mention it, Reverend Mother; to sing for you and
all the dear sisters was a great pleasure to me. I never enjoyed singing
in a theatre so much."

"I am glad you have enjoyed your stay, Miss Innes. Your room will always
be ready. I hope you will often come to see us."

"It will be a great advantage for me to come and stay with you from time
to time." Neither spoke for a time, then Evelyn said, "Reverend Mother,
is it not strange that I should have come back to this convent, my old
convent? I never forgot it. I often wondered if I should come here
again. When I was here before, it was just as now; it was in a great
crisis of my life. It was just before I left home, just before I went to
Paris to learn singing. I don't know if Monsignor has told you that I
have decided to leave the stage."

"Monsignor has entrusted you to me, and I should like to count you as
one of my children. All the nuns tell me their little troubles. Though I
have guessed there must be some great trouble in your life, I should
like you to feel that you can tell me everything, if to do so can be the
least help to you."

Evelyn's eyes brightened, and, trembling with emotion, she leaned across
the table; the Reverend Mother took her hand, and the touch of that old
benign hand was a delight, and she felt that she must confide her story.

"I have been several times on the point of speaking to you on the
subject of my past, for if I am to come here again I feel that you
should know something about me. But how to tell it. I had thought of
asking Father Daly to tell you. To-day is your day for confession, but
last week I confessed to Monsignor, and do not like to submit myself to
another director. Do you understand?"

"Father Daly is an excellent, worthy man, the convent is under the
greatest obligations to him, but I could not recommend him as a very
enlightened director of souls. That is why the nuns tell me all their
troubles. I should like you to feel that you