with a little laugh, "What can I do with you, Fan?"

Fan was troubled at this, and glanced anxiously at the other's face, only
to drop her eyes abashed again; but at last, plucking up a little
courage, she said:

"Will you please let me do something in the house, ma'am?" And after a
few moments she added, "I wish I could do something, and--and be your
servant."

Miss Starbrow laughed again, and then frowned a little and sat silent for
some time.

"The fact is," she said at length, "now that you are here I don't quite
know what to do with you. However, that doesn't signify. I took you for
my own pleasure, and it doesn't make much difference to have you in the
house, and if it did I shouldn't care. But you must look after yourself
for the present, as I have just got rid of one servant and there are only
two to do everything. They are anxious for me not to engage a third just
now, and prefer to do all the work themselves, which means, I suppose,
that there will be more plunder to divide between them."

"And can't I help, ma'am?" said Fan, whose last words had not yet been
answered.

"I fancy you would look out of place doing housework," said Miss
Starbrow. "It strikes me that you are not suited for that sort of thing.
If it hadn't been so, I shouldn't have noticed you. The only way in which
I should care to employ you would be as lady's-maid, and for that you are
unfit. Perhaps I shall have you taught needlework and that kind of thing