dispensed joy or despair to her applicants. Several opened letters and
copies of the daily journals lay on the table.

"Well?" cried she, laying down her pen, "what for you?"

"I am here by your appointment, madam, made with me a week ago," said
the young lady. "This is Thursday."

"What name?" cried Mrs. Moffit sharply, turning over rapidly the leaves
of a ledger.

"Miss West. If you remember, I--"

"Oh, yes, child, my memory's good enough," was the tart interruption.
"But with so many applicants it's impossible to be at any certainty as
to faces. Registered names we can't mistake."

Mrs. Moffit read her notes--taken down a week ago. "Miss West. Educated
in first-class school at Richmond; remained in it as teacher. Very good
references from the ladies keeping it. Father, Colonel in India."

"But--"

"You do not wish to go into a school again?" spoke Mrs. Moffit, closing
the ledger with a snap, and peremptorily drowning what the applicant was
about to say.

"Oh, dear, no, I am only leaving to better myself, as the maids say,"
replied the young lady smiling.