"Mr. Devereaux cares nothing for the girl! He is engaged to me, but we had a little tiff, and he was just flirting with her to pique me because I would not make up with him just yet!"
Although she regarded Dolly as greatly her inferior, she was placing herself on a level with her by these confidences, encouraging Dolly to reply:
"Of course, I know he wouldn't marry Liane, but she was foolish enough to think so, and I feel certain she's down to Boston with him now."
Roma knew better, but she only smiled significantly, giving Dolly the impression that she agreed with her entirely, and then she said:
"I will agree to give you a week's trial, and mamma's maid can instruct you as to your duties. When can you come?"
"To-morrow, if you wish."
"Very well. I shall expect you," returned Roma, abruptly ending the interview.
When Dolly was going back the next day, she stopped in at the post office for her mail, and the smiling little clerk in the window, as he handed it out, exclaimed:
"Don't Miss Liane Lester work with you at Miss Bray's, Miss Dolly? There's a letter for her this morning, the first letter, I believe, that ever came for her, and now that I come to think about it, she never calls here for mail, anyhow!"
Dolly's cheeks flushed guiltily, and her heart gave a strangling thump of surprise, but she said, quite coolly: