She was as pretty, as sensible, as helpful a little daw as ever chattered; but the young peacock never for an instant forgot her daw-dom.
Jane's profound common-sense reaped its reward the following spring when she found herself obliged to earn her livelihood.

Her mother died, and the shop was sold, and an aunt in Cricklewood offered Jane a home, on condition that she paid for her keep.

This she was soon able to do when she obtained a situation with a business firm in the city.
The work was hard and the salary small; but Jane had a brave heart and held her head high.

In her simple philosophy life was work, and dreaming an occasional luxury.

Her mother's death grieved her deeply, for she was a girl of strong affections, and the breaking up of her life with Paul seemed an irremediable catastrophe.
"It's just as well," said her aunt, "that there's an end of it, or you'd be making a fool of yourself over that young actor chap with his pretty face.