name of Challoner, except that it was a
good and an old name; but when one sees young things like you about to
forfeit caste and build up a barrier between yourselves and your
equals that the bravest will fear to pass, it seems as though one must
lift up one's voice in protest."

"Thank you; but it will be of no use," returned Phillis, coldly.

"You are determined to make other people's dresses?" And here her lip
curled a little, perhaps involuntarily.

"We must must make dresses or starve; for our fingers are cleverer
than our brains," replied Phillis, defiantly; for she knew nothing
about it, and her powers were so immature and unfledged that she had
never tried her wings, and had no notion whether she could fly or not,
and yet no girl had a clearer head. "We have chosen work that we know
we can do well, and we mean not to be ashamed of our occupation. In
the old days ladies used to spin and weave, and no one blamed them,
though they were noble; and if my work will bring me money, and keep
the mother comfortable, I see nothing that will prevent my doing it."

"Ah, you are romantic, Miss Challoner; you will soon be taught
matter-of-fact!"

"I am willing to learn anything, but I must choose my teachers,"
retorted Phillis, with a little heat, for the word "romantic," and the
satirical droop of Mrs. Cheyne's lip made her decidedly cross. "But I
must not detain you any more with our uninteresting affairs," dropping
a little courtesy, half in pique and half in mockery, for her spirits
were rising under this rough treatment.

"It is far from uninteresting; I have not heard anything so exciting
for a long time. Well, perhaps you had better go before I say anything
very rude, for I am terribly outspoken, and I think you are all silly
self-willed young people." Then, as Phillis bridled her neck like an
untamed colt, she caught hold of the girl's dress to detain her, and
the sharpness passed out of her eyes. "Now, don't go away and believe
that I think any worse of you for telling me this. I am a
cross-grained body, and contradiction makes me worse. I don't know how
I shall act: I must have time to consider this extraordinary bit of
news. But all the same, whatever I do, whether I know you or do not
know you, I shall always think you the very bravest girl I ever saw."
And then she let her go, and Phillis, with her head in the air and her
thoughts all topsy-turvy, marched out of the room.

But when she reached the end of