ked her in a peevish voice what she meant by saying Uncle
Keith would be so angry with me, as he had not raised a single
objection, and, of course, as silence meant consent, I should most
certainly keep my appointment at Prince's Gate.

Aunt Agatha looked a little distressed as she answered me.

"To tell you the truth, Merle, I did not quite understand your uncle
myself; I expected a very different reception of my news."

"Tell me all about it from the very beginning," I returned, eagerly.
"Patience has made such a nice fire, because she said she was afraid you
had a cold, and I can just sit by it and brush out my hair while we
talk."

"But I am tired and sleepy, child, and after all there is not much to
tell," objected Aunt Agatha; but she was far too good-natured to refuse
for all that, so she seated herself, dear soul, in the big chair--that
she had christened Idleness--and tried to remember what I wished to
hear.

"I told him everything, Merle: how your one little defect hindered you,
poor child, from being a nursery governess or companion, and how, in
spite of this serious obstacle, you were determined to work and be
independent."

"Well, and did he say nothing to all that?" I asked, for I knew in what
a feeling manner Aunt Agatha would have described my difficulties.

"Oh, yes; he said, 'poor little thing,' in the kindest possible way,
'and quite right--very proper,' when I spoke of your desire for work."

"Well," rather impatiently.

"He listened very attentively until I read him out the advertisement,
but that seemed to upset him, for he burst out laughing, and I thought
he would never stop. I was half crying by that time, for you had worried
me to death all the afternoon, Merle, but nothing I could say would make
him grave for a long time. He said once, 'What could have put such a
thing into her head?' and then he laughed again as though the idea
amused him, and then he rubbed his hands and muttered, 'What an original
child it is; there is no deficiency of brain power as far as I can see;
who would have dreamt of such a thing?' and so on."

"Then I may flatter myself that Uncle Keith approves of my scheme," I
observed, stiffly, for I was much offended at the idea of his laugh.

"Oh dear, no," returned Aunt Agatha, in an alarmed voice, "he expressed
his disapproval very strongly; he said it was all very well in theory,
and that, on the whole, he agreed with you that the nursery was
undoubtedly a lad