A Struggle for a Ring — page 203: what you’re looking at

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

a 20 WIN A HUSBAND’S HEART. 199 She was literally faint with the excitement of the thought. If it could only be. She would give half her life if this might happen; she would have offered all she had for this one chance of winning her husband’s heart. ‘Then she heard madame say : ‘T shall be really grieved if I cannot oblige Lady Wal- drove ; she always speaks so well for me, and is so good in recommending my establishment. I should like to please her; it will not be easy, I fear. Wha/ do you say, Miss Derwent?” she added, in wonder, as the girl’s beauti- ful face came before her. ‘‘Speak louder, my dear child, I am:so tired at night that I seldom hear well.” ‘<T was asking you, madame, if you would grant mea very great favor,” she said—‘‘if you would permit me to apply for this situation at Lady Waldrove’s?” Both ladies looked at her in silent wonder; then madame spoke. ‘*You, Miss Derwent?” she said—‘‘youre Why, I thonght you were looking forward to gc very dif- - ferent.” ‘‘Dear madame,” said the girl, softly, ‘‘ you are always so kind, and I should like it so much.” 3) ‘‘But I thought,” said madame, ‘‘that you had some. very definite hopes of going, at some time, into quite a high sphere of life.” ‘<So I have, madame; I cannot explain; but I should be so grateful if you would do this for me, even if I only | remained for a year. I have reasons of my own that I cannot explain. Oh, madame, if you could do it?” ‘You would certainly be the very best person for the situation,” said Mrs. Howard—‘‘ the very best.” ‘‘But,” said madame, ‘‘in recommending you I lose. one of my best pupils.” ta - EO EOMIG 00 <Sm