A Struggle for a Ring — page 187: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

MADAME ROUBART’S PUPIL. - 183 her boudoir, She was already greatly interested in the girl’s appearance ; she placed her in an easy-chair. ‘Now, my dear Miss Derwent,” she said, ‘‘it seems to me that we are rather friends than mistress and pupil; I have some few things that it will be better to say to you at once. Of course you are aware that I have done a very unusual thing in taking you without references of any kind—tell me, quite frankly and honestly, have you any motive for desiring secrecy?” ‘‘None,” replied Alice, ‘‘except that my parents are poor; they do not belong to the same class as the parents of your pupils.” ‘‘Let us quite understand each other. Why do you wish to acquire different habits, different manners?” Alice thought for a moment before she replied. ‘* Because, in the years to come, I shall have a different position to fill.” ‘‘You are engaged, then, to be married—or something of the kind?” continued madame. } ‘¢Something of the kind,” replied Alice. ‘Now I understand, Miss Derwent... You expect to fill a high position, and you wish to be prepared for it. That shall be done—it was only needful for me to know what was required. Could you trust me far enough to tell me what that position will be?” Alice raised her sad, sweet eyes to the comely face. ‘‘No,” she replied ; ‘‘that I cannot do. I have promised, and I must keep my word.” — : Greatly did madame marvel who it was that she had under her roof, and what rank she would have to fill. (e(@) mm G 00 (