And this was denied her.

Had she been a man, it would have been so easy.

She could have offered to be his servant; could have done those things which she could do better than any, since hers would be a heart-service.
But even as she looked at him now, she had a flash of insight and prescience.

She had, from little things said or done, from newspapers marked and a hundred small indications, made up her mind that her mistress's mind dwelt much upon "the Egyptian." The thought flashed now that she might serve this man, after all; that a day might come when she could say that she had played a part in his happiness, in return for all he had done for her.

Life had its chances--and strange things had happened.