st two months had been sent to her mother. Yet, badly as she wanted
anything that she might be able to earn, she knew that she could
not go on teaching. It had come to be acknowledged by both the
Miss Prettymans that any teaching on her part for the present was
impossible. She would go home and perish with the rest of them. There
was no room left for hope to her, or to any of her family. They had
accused her father of being a common thief,--her father whom she knew
to be so nobly honest, her father whom she believed to be among the
most devoted of God's servants. He was accused of a paltry theft, and
the magistrates and lawyers and policemen among them had decided that
the accusation was true! How could she look the girls in the face
after that, or attempt to hold her own among the teachers!

On the next morning there came a letter from Miss Lily Dale, and with
that in her hand she again went to Miss Prettyman. She must go home,
she said. She must at any rate go to her mother. Could Miss Prettyman
be kind enough to send her home. "I haven't sixpence to pay for
anything," she said, bursting into tears; "and I haven't a right to
ask for it." Then the statements which Miss Prettyman made in her
eagerness to cover this latter misfortune were decidedly false. There
was so much money owing to Grace, she said; money for this, money for
that, money for anything or nothing! Ten pounds would hardly clear
the account. "Nobody owes me anything; but if you'll lend me five
shillings!" said Grace, in her agony. Miss Prettyman, as she made her
way through this difficulty, thought of Major Grantly and his love.
It would have been of no use, she knew. Had she brought them together
on that Monday, Grace would have said nothing to him. Indeed such a
meeting at such a time would have been improper. But, regarding Major
Grantly, as she did, in the light of a millionaire,--for the wealth
of the Archdeacon was notorious,--she could not but think it a pity
that poor Grace should be begging for five shillings. "You need
not at any rate trouble yourself about money, Grace," said Miss
Prettyman. "What is a pound or two more or less between you and me?
It is almost unkind of you to think about it. Is that letter in your
hand anything for me to see, my dear?" Then Grace explained that she
did not wish to show Miss Dale's letter, but that Miss Dale had asked
her to go to Allington. "And you will go," said Miss Prettyman. "It
will be the best thing fo