r and mother," said Ida, bursting into tears. "Oh, why did
you carry me away?"

"I'll tell you why," answered Dick, jocularly. "You see, Ida, we ain't
got any little girl to love us, and so we got you."

"But I don't love you, and I never shall," said Ida, indignantly.

"Now don't you go to saying that," said Dick. "You'll break my heart,
you will, and then Peg will be a widow."

To give effect to this pathetic speech, Dick drew out a tattered red
handkerchief, and made a great demonstration of wiping his eyes.

The whole scene was so ludicrous that Ida, despite her fears and
disgust, could not help laughing hysterically. She recovered herself
instantly, and said, imploringly, "Oh, do let me go, and father will pay
you; I'm sure he will."

"You really think he would?" said Dick.

"Oh, yes; and you'll tell her to carry me back, won't you?"

"No, he won't tell me any such thing," said Peg, gruffly; "and if he
did, I wouldn't do it; so you might as well give up all thoughts of that
first as last. You're going to stay here; so take off that bonnet of
yours, and say no more about it."

Ida made no motion towards obeying this mandate.

"Then I'll do it for you," said Peg.

She roughly untied the bonnet, Ida struggling vainly in opposition,
and taking this with the shawl, carried them to a closet, in which she
placed them, and then, locking the door, deliberately put the key in her
pocket.

"There," said she, "I guess you're safe for the present."

"Ain't you ever going to carry me back?" asked Ida, wishing to know the
worst.

"Some years hence," said the woman, coolly. "We want you here for the
present. Besides, you're not sure that they want to see you back again."

"Not glad to see me?"

"No; how do you know but your father and mother sent you off on purpose?
They've been troubled with you long enough, and now they've bound you
apprentice to me till you're eighteen."

"It's a lie," said Ida, firmly. "They didn't send me off, and you're a
wicked woman to keep me here."

"Hoity-toity!" said the woman, pausing and looking menacingly at the
child. "Have you anything more to say before I whip you?"

"Yes," said Ida, goaded to desperation; "I shall complain of you to the
police, and they will put you in jail, and send me home. That is what I
will do."

The nurse seized Ida by the arm, and striding with her to the closet
already spoken of, unlocked it, and rudely pushing her in, locked the
door after her.