ade his heart beat faster.

"Thank you for giving me the opportunity."

"The finger-bowls, sir," she interrupted, flicking a napkin in their
direction, "they ought to be filled; not too full, sir; that's quite
enough, it isn't a tub, you know. And now, if you've a match about you,
and gentlemen always have matches, I believe, would you light the
candles, and then, yes, I do think we're about ready now."

Tucker, who could not very well refuse such trivial services when he
was offering one much more momentous, poured a little water from the ice
pitcher into the glass finger-bowls, but he did it with such dignity and
from such a height that he spilled much of it over the doilies. The cook
did not reprove him directly, but she changed the doily with a manner
that seemed to suggest that another time she would do the job herself.
And when Tucker took a neat gold match-box from his pocket and prepared
to light the candles, she coolly took the whole thing out of his hands,
remarking that he might set the shades on fire and then they'd be in
what she described as "a nice way."

Observing that she was about to leave the room, he put himself before
the door.

"I want just a word, Jane-Ellen."

"No time now, sir. Perhaps to-morrow morning."

"To-morrow will be too late. You must know this evening. I don't want to
say a word against Mr. Crane; young men who have always had everything
they want are naturally thoughtless. But I can't bear to see you turned
out at a moment's notice--"

"Turned out?"

"Yes, Mr. Crane is going either to-night or to-morrow morning. Didn't he
tell you?"

He had her attention now. She looked at him intently.

"Mr. Crane going? I thought he had the house for six weeks."

"So he had, but he's bored with it. Miss Falkener has gone, and he sees
no reason for staying on. He'll be off either at midnight or in the
morning. You're about to lose your place, Jane-Ellen."

She stood staring before her so blankly that it grieved him to see her
so deeply concerned about the loss of her position, and he pressed on.

"I can't bear to think of your comfort being dependent on the caprices
of Crane, or any one. Come to me, Jane-Ellen. This is no life for you,
with your youth and beauty and charm. I could offer you a position that
you need never leave, never, unless you wanted to--"

"Please move from the door, sir."

"Not until you've heard me," and he moved toward her as if to take her
in his arms.

A