the
house, with so many young children about, and nurse not too careful?"

"Certainly not. Thank you for coming and telling us about it, Miss
Nelson. Ferrets are not safe creatures to have near children, and
Eric's shall be removed to the gamekeeper's to-morrow."

Miss Nelson rose at once to leave the room.

"Sit down, Miss Nelson," suddenly interrupted Miss Wilton. "As you are
here I have just a word to say to you. Do you think it well to allow
Ermengarde to drive in the carriage without your escort. It so
happened that my brother was able to accompany her to-day but I--of
course I don't like to interfere--still I should have thought that it
was scarcely wise. Ermengarde is inclined to be too forward as it is."

"Ermie in the carriage to-day!" exclaimed Miss Nelson. She forgot to
keep her seat. She stood up, her pale face was deeply flushed.
"Impossible, Miss Wilton! Pardon me, you must be mistaken. Ermengarde
was not--not quite--she infringed some of my rules, and I was obliged
to give her a detention lesson. She certainly did ask to go and meet
her brothers, but I was obliged to refuse. Ermie spent the afternoon
indoors."

Miss Wilton sounded a gong by her side. A page appeared, to whom she
gave some letters.

"See they are posted at once," she said. Then the turned to the
window. "Roderick, are you asleep, or did you hear what Miss Nelson
said?"

"I beg your pardon, my dear, I confess I was not attending. I thought
you ladies were discussing some domestic matter."

"We were; a very domestic matter. Roderick, kindly tell Miss Nelson
who was your companion to the railway station this afternoon."

"Why, Ermengarde, of course. And very pleasant she made herself. I was
going to tell you, Miss Nelson, when I had the opportunity, how
pleased I am with the progress of your pupil."

"Thank you," said Miss Nelson. The flush on her face had changed to
pallor.

"You did not know of this?" continued Miss Wilton eagerly. "You are
astonished!"

Miss Nelson was silent for several seconds.

"I will speak to Ermie," she said; then in a low voice, "there has
been a misunderstanding."

She did not add any more, and Mr. Wilton, thinking that the governess
looked tired and ill, tried to engage her in some general
conversation. She answered a question or two in a very abstracted
manner, and presently left the room.

Miss Nelson had a private sitting-room, which was not thrown open to
her pupils. It was a tiny room, b