ear, you have enjoyed many advantages during the last five
or six years. There is no question now of your going back to Mrs. Kane.
Mr. Enderby will not allow it."

"Grant says there are cheap ways of providing for friendless children,"
said Hetty, whose tongue had become dry in her mouth with fear of what
might come next.

"Never mind what Grant says," said Mrs. Enderby; "attend only to what I
tell you. Mr. Enderby and I have thought deeply over your future, Hetty,
and we are really anxious to do what is best for you."

Hetty said nothing. All the powers of her mind were strained in
wondering expectation of what she was now going to hear.

"We have been advised to send you to a school where you would be made
fit to provide for yourself when you become a woman," continued the
lady, "but we have decided to take you into our own house instead; on
condition, however, that you try to be industrious and studious. By the
time you have grown up, I hope you will be able to make use of the good
education we shall give you, and will have learned the value of
independence. Do you understand me completely, Hetty? We are going to
educate you to be a governess. You shall live in our house and join in
the studies of our children, and enjoy the comfort and protection of our
home. But of course you cannot look forward to sharing the future of our
daughters."

"I understand," said Hetty slowly; and the whole state of the case, in
all its bearings, appeared in true colours before her intelligent mind.

"I hope you are satisfied also," said Mrs. Enderby, who was determined,
even at the risk of being a little hard, that the child should
thoroughly know her place, and learn to be grateful for the protection
afforded her. "When you are older, my child, you will comprehend what
your elders now know, that my poor sister, Mrs. Rushton, made a great
mistake in raising you from the station in which she found you, and
showering luxuries upon you as she did. We also see, however, that an
injustice was done to you, and that we whom she has left behind her are
bound to make amends to you for that. Therefore it is that we are
keeping you with ourselves, instead of allowing you to run the risk of
being made unhappy by strangers."

For all answer to this Hetty burst into a fit of wild weeping. Her proud
little heart was broken at the prospect of returning to Wavertree to be
snubbed and humbled by Phyllis, and possibly by servants of the same
dispo