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266 of living a selfish life; she would always take an active interest in others. Had not Hatty reproached her with throwing herself too readily into the mêlée at Madame Martineau's? She hoped to do some good in her generation, by-and-by; to help her fellow-creatures to the best of her abilities, in some way; only she did not believe in being dependent on any one human being for happiness, any more than for daily bread, if one was able to earn the loaf for one's self.

Elizabeth found an old peasant woman to sit to her. Alaric went down to the shore, and made studies of the fishermen and their boats. Thus the first three weeks passed. Then came a spell of bad weather, ending in a light fall of snow, all of which visibly increased Hatty's cough. She could not leave her room, and Elizabeth and Alaric went together to the table d'hôte. He said, at luncheon, looking out of the window at the driving sleet—

"Another day lost. As I can't paint, I shall go to Monte Carlo, and look at the place. Will you come?"

"No; I am afraid of meeting some one I know."

He smiled. "I hope that I may—a possible sitter. What am I to do here if this weather continues?"

"Paint some of the peasants; they will be sure to sell. There is a class of traveller that always rises to the bait of a peasant, especially a pretty peasant."

"How low you rate me," he replied, amused. "A painter of pretty peasants for the travellers' market! Well, I will go and cast my nets into the turbid waters of Monte Carlo."

And he went. He wandered aimlessly through the