"She is so ignorant of life, despite the fact that she has been
married, and she is so uneducated and helpless, I could not bear to
see her cast into the path of designing people," the Baroness said.
"She has a strong craving for an education, and I give her good books
to read, and good advice to ponder over, and I hope in time to come
she will marry some honest fellow and settle down to a quiet, happy
home life. The man who brings us butter and eggs from the country is
quite fascinated with her, but she does not deign him a glance." And
then the Baroness talked of other things.

But the history he had heard remained in Preston Cheney's mind and he
could not drive the thought of this girl away. No wonder her eyes
were sad! Better blood ran in her veins than coursed under the pink
flesh of the Baroness, he would wager; she was the unfortunate victim
of a combination of circumstances, which had defrauded her of the
advantages of youth.

He spoke with her in the hall one morning not long after that; and
then it grew to be a daily occurrence that he talked with her a few
moments, and before many weeks had passed the young man approached
the Baroness with a request.

"I have become interested in your protegee Miss Dumont," he said.
"You have done so much for her that you have stirred my better nature
and made me anxious to emulate your example. In talking with her in
the hall one day I learned her great desire for a better education,
and her anxiety to earn money. Now it has occurred to me that I
might aid her in both ways. We need two or three more girls in our
office. We need one more in the type-setting department. As The