"I know no ladies on board," she said, "and I think I have met you
before."

"Yes," answered Miss Earle, "I think we have met before."

"How good of you to have remembered me," said Blanche, kindly.

"I think," replied Miss Earle, "that it is more remarkable that you
should remember me than that I should remember you. Ladies very rarely
notice the shop-girls who wait upon them."

"You seemed so superior to your station," said Blanche, "that I could
not help remembering you, and could not help thinking what a pity it was
you had to be there."

"I do not think that there is anything either superior or inferior about
the station. It is quite as honourable, or dishonourable, which ever it
may be, as any other branch of business. I cannot see, for instance, why
my station, selling ribbons at retail, should be any more dishonourable
than the station of the head of the firm, who merely does on a very
large scale what I was trying to do for him on a very limited scale."

"Still," said Blanche, with a yawn, "people do not all look upon it in
exactly that light."

"Hardly any two persons look on any one thing in the same light. I hope
you have enjoyed your voyage so far?"

"I have not enjoyed it very much," replied the young lady with a sigh.