dith, Barrie, and Galsworthy. You might
even try Shaw."

"Oh, I will!" cried Jane.

He laughed.

"I don't often inflict an hour's lecture upon unprotected young women,
Miss Judd."

"I can't tell you how grateful I am. This is just what I needed."

"You get to work. When you are absolutely confident that you have got
something good, come and see me again."

"Thank you, I will."

She went out in a daze. This talk was to change the whole course of her
life, and she knew it. It was characteristic of her that she began at
once. She answered an advertisement in the paper, inserted by a man
named Jerome Paxton, who wanted a reliable woman to mend his clothes and
do light work about the studio. She applied and he engaged her.

That was six years ago. From that small beginning she had worked up a
clientele among the artists of the district, which kept her busy every
day. She mended their clothes, cleaned their studios, cooked a meal if
necessary, became, in short, an institution in the colony. As Jerry
Paxton said; "Jane Judd can mend anything from a leak in a pipe to a
broken heart."

This was her life by day. Her real life began when the day ended. On
this particular night, as on a thousand previous nights, she bought her
supper at the butcher's and the grocer's, and climbed the many stairs to
her home. As she struck a match to light the gas, there was a light thud
on the floor and a purring.

"That you, Milly?" she asked.

The big cat purred loudly and rubbed against her skirt. She took her up
and petted her a bit before she so much as laid off her things.

"I've got a piece of fish for you," she added as she put her coat and
hat away. Milly, whose full name was Militant, constituted her entire
family, and it was Jane's habit to talk to her continually.

"We'll hurry into the kitchen before Mrs. Biggs gets home to-night and
get our supper out of the way," she said presently, and led the way down
the narrow hall, the cat at her heels. She made her preparations quickly
and deftly. Billy Biggs, aged eight, appeared as she was cooking.

"Hello, Miss Judd."

"Hello, Billy."

He was a very dirty and a very dull little boy, who wore his mouth open,
and was mentally developed as far as his adenoids would permit. Jane
tried to be interested in him, but failed.

"Wisht I had a piece of bread an' butter."

"All right, here it is. Your mother will be in, presently."

"Our supper ain't as good as yours."

This c