f muslin on the
sewing-machine.

Tottie's face reddened beyond the circumference of her rouge spots.
She took a long step in Clare's direction, and laid a hand on her arm.
"Now, look here!" she said threateningly. "You're lyin' about this
move!"

"I'm not! I'm not!"

"Somebody's been knockin' me."

"No. Nonsense!" Clare tried to free her arm.

But Tottie only held her the tighter. "Then why are you goin'?"

"I've told you.--Please, Tottie!" Again she strove to loosen the
other's grip, seeing which Barbara, fearing for her Aunt Clare, cast
aside her doll and ran to stand beside the younger woman, trembling a
little, and ready to burst into tears.

"Aw, you can't fool me!" declared Tottie.

"I don't want to!"

Tottie thrust her face close to Clare's. "You've got your marchin'
orders!"

"What do you--you mean?" The other choked; her look wavered.

"You're on the run."

"I am not! No!"

Tottie's voice lowered, losing its harshness, and took on a wheedling
tone. "But you never have to run," she informed slyly, "if you've got
the goods on somebody." She winked.

"I--I haven't."

"Stick--and fight--and _cash in_."

"Tottie!" Clare stared, appalled.

"O-o-o-oh!"--sneeringly. "Pullin' the goody-goody stuff, eh?"

"Let me go! Let me go!"

"Auntie Clare!" With the cry of fear, Barbara came between them,
catching at the elder woman's arm.

Tottie loosed her hold and went back to the mantel to lean and look.
Clare drew out a drawer of the small center-table, searched it, and
laid a hand-mirror beside the cage.

"What'll be your new address?"

"I'll send it to you."

The landlady began to whine. "Ain't that just my rotten luck! Another
room empty!--you know you oughta give me a week's notice."

"Oh, I'll pay you for it," answered Clare, bitterly.

"Well, I don't want to gouge you, dearie. And I don't know what I'll
do when you're gone. I've just learned to love you.--And with summer
comin' on, goodness knows how I'm goin' to rent that back-parlor. It's
hard to run a respectable house and keep it full. Now as I say, if I
was careless, I----"

But what Miss St. Clair might have been moved to do under such
conditions was not forthcoming, for now steps were heard, climbing to
the front door. Next, a man's voice spoke. Then the bell rang.

"Wait! Wait!" As she warned Tottie, Clare crossed to the bay-window
at a run.

"Maybe here's a new roomer," suggested the hopeful landlad