“If you will excuse our plainness, madam, and come into the sitting-room you will find a fire. There is none in the parlor, and as it is damp there, you might take cold,” said Susan, as she entered the house. “Pray make no apologies, Mrs. Palmer; I am sure this room is delightfully home-like and attractive,” answered the lady, with just a tinge of condescension in her manner that escaped the notice of Susan, but slightly chilled Em.’s more sensitive spirit. “Pray take a seat, Mrs. Bruce,” said Susan, pushing forward the best arm-chair. “This is my oldest daughter that I have at home,” added Susan, introducing Em., but not thinking it necessary to present the other members of her numerous family. “How do you do, my dear?” said the lady, kindly holding out her kid-gloved hand to the girl as if to encourage a poor child of the lower orders, but looking on her with the beautiful dark eyes of Ronald Bruce. Em. bent her head respectfully, but in silence; for indeed there was no need for her to speak, as the lady turned away almost instantly and addressed Susan: “Yes, Mrs. Palmer, as I was saying to you, I have come here in search of a seamstress and in some hope of getting one from your family. My son, Lieutenant Bruce, of the navy, who knows your husband, I think——” “Yes, madam, he does. I hope the lieutenant is well?” Em.’s eyes, ears and heart were all on the _qui vive_ now. She almost feared her companions of the moment might read her thoughts, her hopes and her fears in her face, so she bent lowlier over her task and worked more diligently at her buttonholes. “Thanks, he is quite well. He has just returned from a two months’ sojourn at the Naval Academy of Annapolis, where he was suddenly called upon some business connected with the school—some investigation of—I know not what.” “Oh, indeed,” said Susan. Em.’s troubled heart leaped for joy and then settled into a delicious calm. He had not forgotten her. He had been away. That was all. “My son, hearing me inquire in vain of my friends for a seamstress, casually informed me that the new overseer of the Wilderness Manor had several daughters, and it would be quite worth while to try whether one of them would not be able to enter my service. I really _must_ have help in getting ready for the winter, Mrs. Palmer. So if one of your girls would come to me at once she should have a comfortable home and liberal remuneration,” continued the lady. “Well, really, ma’am, it is true I have several daughters—six of ’em, in fact; but the two eldest are married and away. And the three youngest are little things, from six to ten. So it comes to this, that there is no one but Em. here who is fit for the place.” “As Ronald Bruce knew well enough,” smiled Em. to herself. “Ah, is it so? But of course Lieutenant Bruce could not know all these little details of your family. He only knew that you had several girls who might possibly be good seamstresses.”