urse?"

"No."

"And how long have you been employed in Messrs. Brown, Son & Brown's
bookbinding department?"

"About six months."

"What do you earn?"

"Eight dollars a week."

"Is that the average amount paid to the other girls?"

"Slightly above the average. I am supposed to be quick and accurate."

"Well now, Miss Bartlett, you seem to be a very intelligent and
well-educated young woman. How comes it that you are employed in such
work?"

"It was the best I could find," she volunteered.

"No doubt. But you must be well aware that few, if any, among the girls
in the bookbinding business can be your equal in education, and, may I
add, in refinement. Now, if you were a bookkeeper, a cashier or a
typist, I could understand it; but it does seem odd to me that you
should be engaged in this kind of job."

"It was my aunt's wish," said Winifred simply.

"Ah!"

Steingall dwelt on the monosyllable.

"What reason did she give for such a singular choice?" he went on.

"I confess it has puzzled me," was the unaffected answer. "Although
aunty is severe in her manner she is well educated, and she taught me
nearly all I know, except music and singing, for which I took lessons
from Signor Pecci ever since I was a tiny mite until about two years
ago. Then, I believe, aunty lost a good deal of money, and it became
necessary that I should earn something. Signor Pecci offered to get me a
position in a theater, but she would not hear of it, nor would she allow
me to enter a shop or a restaurant. Really, it was aunty who got me work
with Messrs. Brown, Son & Brown."

"In other words," said Steingall, "you were deliberately reared to fill
a higher social station, and then, for no assignable reason, save a
whim, compelled to sink to a much lower level?"

"I do not know. I never disputed aunty's right to do what she thought
best."

"Well, well, it is odd. Do you ever entertain any visitors?"

"None whatever. We have no acquaintances, and live very quietly."

"Do you mean to say that your aunt never sees any one but yourself and
casual callers, such as tradespeople?"

"So far as I know, that is absolutely the case."

"Very curious," commented Steingall. "Does your aunt go out much?"

"She leaves the house occasionally after I have gone to bed at ten
o'clock, but that is seldom, and I have no idea where she goes. Every
week-day, you know, I am away from home between seven in the morning and
half past six at night,