have been a week in his service."

She stopped, and pointed to the house. The governess was
approaching them. "One more kiss, darling. We shall not forget
the happy hours we have spent together; we shall constantly write
to each other." She broke down at last. "Oh, Cecilia! Cecilia!
leave me for God's sake--I can't bear it any longer!"

The governess parted them. Emily dropped into the chair that her
friend had left. Even her hopeful nature sank under the burden of
life at that moment.

A hard voice, speaking close at her side, startled her.

"Would you rather be Me," the voice asked, "without a creature to
care for you?"

Emily raised her head. Francine, the unnoticed witness of the
parting interview, was standing by her, idly picking the leaves
from a rose which had dropped out of Cecilia's nosegay.

Had she felt her own isolated position? She had felt it
resentfully.

Emily looked at her, with a heart softened by sorrow. There was
no answering kindness in the eyes of Miss de Sor--there was only
a dogged endurance, sad to see in a creature so young.

"You and Cecilia are going to write to each other," she said. "I
suppose there is some comfort in that. When I left the island