were soon to be an orphan, she said at once that it was ‘just the thing,’ and you would do nicely to supply the place of Maggie Flynn, the chamber and errand girl, and who was not exactly trustworthy. She said the ‘English peasants always made good servants,’ and as you were young and would be wholly dependent on her, she could train you according to her own notions. And, to make a long story short, you are to make beds and do chamber-work generally, wait upon madam and run of errands.”

And the housekeeper heaved a sigh of relief that the difficult explanation was over. And difficult it was, with those glittering sapphire eyes fixed so intently upon her, and that beautiful face gleaming with scorn and indignation.

“In other words, she intends to make a servant—a slave of me,” she said, with quiet sarcasm, but uplifted head.

49“Ye-es—if you must put it so, miss,” Mrs. Blunt admitted, reluctantly.

49

“What wages am I to expect?” and the clear young voice rang with intense scorn.

“Wages?”

“Yes, wages. What did she pay Maggie Flynn?” Star demanded, with a bitter smile.

“Six dollars a month; but—but I don’t think madam has thought about wages for you. She is to give you a home for what you can do; and besides what I have told you, you are to wait upon Miss Josephine, who is not sparing of her commands, either.”

“Who is Miss Josephine, pray?”

“The young lady of the house—Mrs. Richards’ daughter.”

“How old is she?”

“Just turned eighteen.”

“Two years my senior,” murmured Star, reflectively. “Well, Mrs. Blunt,” she added, after a moment or two, and looking up with a clearer face, “show me to my room, please, and let me have a good bath, for I need refreshing sadly. If only I might have some clean underclothing to put on,” she added, wistfully.

“You shall,” the woman quickly returned. “I suppose madam never thought of it, and it is a shame. There, wait here,” she added, as she threw open the door of a small room on the front of the house in the 

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