within the next month. Out of the _Lady's Paper_, in which
'Notes and Sensations of a Plain Girl at Dublin Castle,' was still
running, she could not hope to make more than thirty shillings a week; a
magazine had lately accepted a ten-page story worth, she fancied, about
five pounds, but when they would print it and pay her was impossible to
say. She could write the editor an imploring letter, asking him to
advance her the money. But even then there was another nine pounds to
make up. And to do this seemed to her an impossibility. She could not
ask her father or mother; she would only do so if the worst came to the
worst. She would write paragraphs, articles, short stories, and would
send them to every editor in London. One out of three might turn up
trumps.

'GARDNER STREET,
'MOUNTJOY SQUARE.
'DARLING ALICE,
'I have been in Dublin now more than a week. I did not write to you
before because I wished to write to tell you that I had done all you
told me to do. The first thing I did was to go to the convent. Would you
believe it, the new Rev. Mother is Sister Mary who we knew so well at
St. Leonards! She has been transferred to the branch convent in Dublin;
she was delighted to see me, but the sight of her dear face awoke so
many memories, so many old associations, that I burst out crying, and it
seemed to me impossible that I should ever be able to find courage to
tell her the truth. None will ever know what it cost me to speak the
words. They came to me all of a sudden, and I told her everything. I
thought she would reproach me and speak bitterly, but she only said, "My
poor child, I am sorry you hadn't strength to resist temptation; your
trial is a dreadful one." She was very, very kind. Her face lighted up
when I spoke of you, and she said: "Sweet girl; she was always an angel;
one of these days she will come back to us. She is too good for the
world." Then I insisted that it was your idea that I should seek help
from the convent, but she said that it was my duty to go to my mother
and tell her the whole truth. Oh, my darling Alice, I cannot tell you
what a terrible time I went through. We were talking for at least two
hours, and it was only with immense difficulty that I at last succeeded
in making her understand what kind of person poor mamma is, and how
hopeless it would be to expect her to keep any secret, even if her
daughter's ho