asked Lady Isabel, sitting down to have her hair brushed.

"My lady, I'll tell you as shortly as it can. My father was a clerk in
Mr. Carlyle's office--of course I mean the late Mr. Carlyle. My mother
died when I was eight years old, and my father afterwards married again,
a sister of Mr. Kane's wife--"

"Mr. Kane, the music master?"

"Yes, my lady. She and Mrs. Kane were quite ladies; had been
governesses. People said she lowered herself greatly in marrying my
father. However, they did marry, and at the end of the year my little
sister Afy was born. We lived in a pretty cottage in the wood and were
happy. But in twelve months more my step-mother died, and an aunt of
hers adopted Afy. I lived with my father, going to school, then to learn
dressmaking, and finally going out to work to ladies' houses. After many
years. Afy came home. Her aunt had died and her income with her, but not
the vanity and love of finery that Afy had acquired. She did nothing
but dress herself and read novels. My father was angry; he said no
good could come of it. She had several admirers, Mr. Richard Hare, Miss
Barbara's own brother," continued Joyce, lowering her voice, "and
she flirted with them all. My father used to go out to shoot on fine
evenings after office, or to his duties as secretary to the library, and
so Afy was generally all alone until I came home at nine o'clock; and
was free to flirt with her beaux."

"Had she any she favored particularly, was it thought?" asked Lady
Isabel.

"The chief one, my lady, was Richard Hare. She got acquainted with
somebody else, a stranger, who used to ride over from a distance to see
her; but I fancy there was nothing in it--Richard was the one. And it
went on till--till--he killed her father."

"Who?" uttered the startled Isabel.

"Richard Hare, my lady. Father had told Afy that Mr. Richard should not
come there any longer, for when gentlemen go in secret after poor girls,
it's well known they have not got marriage in their thoughts; father
would have interfered more than he did, but that he judged well of Mr.
Richard, and did not think he was one to do Afy real harm,--but he did
not know how flighty she was. However, one day he heard people talk
about it in West Lynne, coupling her name and Mr. Richard's offensively
together, and at night he told Afy, before me, that it should not go
on any longer, and she must not encourage him. My lady, the next night
Richard Hare shot my father."

"H