Chapter IV.—The Precipice SideWithin a very few days of her arrival at St. Jude's Dora was quite sure there could not be a nicer lot of girls anywhere than those among whom she was now destined to work, and that was smilingly impressed upon her by her colleagues themselves. She was told how particular Matron Paridy was about whom she accepted as probationers, as it was generally believed that, to satisfy her as to their fitness, not only must applicants be of irreproachable character, well educated and come from a good-class family, but also they must have the appearance of being of a pleasant disposition and possess more than just passable good looks. From the very first Dora had been most favourably impressed by the matron and, as time went on, she realised more and more how right her j

