of necessity."

"Not so," said Mrs. Rennie, kindly. "Come and go to church with
us to-morrow forenoon, and dine with us; if you feel then that you
would prefer to stay here, you can easily manage to do so without
making your cousin suspect anything. If you still are anxious to go
home, you can do that on Monday morning; but I fancy Tuesday is quite
early enough to send in your application."

"Thank you, Mrs. Rennie," said Jane. "I am very much obliged to you
indeed for your kindness, and I think I will avail myself of it; but
to-night--to-night--I must have some quiet and solitude."

"I have been somehow or other separated from you all the evening," said
Francis, as they were on their way home. "Have you enjoyed it at all?
It was hard for you to have to see so many strangers after so trying a
day."

"Rather hard," said Jane, with quivering lips. "Life altogether is much
harder than I had imagined it to be. I want Elsie very much to-night;
but I will see her as soon as I can possibly get home."

"You do not mean to go so soon? you have done nothing
satisfactory as yet. We must make attempts in some other direction."

"I have made up my mind," said Jane; "I will apply for the situation I
despised this morning. People outside of asylums seem to be as mad and
more cruel. I will write my application to-night, and it will go by the
first post."