'Really? With salary continued? That takes one's breath away Are
many of the girls ladies?'

'None, at Scotcher's. They nearly all come from the country. Several
are daughters of small farmers and those are dreadfully ignorant.
One of them asked me the other day in what country Africa was.'

'You don't find them very pleasant company?'

'One or two are nice quiet girls.'

Rhoda drew a deep sigh, and moved with impatience.

'Well, don't you think you've had about enough of it--experience
and all?'

'I might go into a country business: it would be easier.'

'But you don't care for the thought?'

'I wish now they had brought me up to something different. Alice and
Virginia were afraid of having me trained for a school; you remember
that one of our sisters who went through it died of overwork. And
I'm not clever, Miss Nunn. I never did much at school.'

Rhoda regarded her, smiling gently.

'You have no inclination to study now?'

'I'm afraid not,' replied the other, looking away. 'Certainly I