to make it look quite nice for your new post as parlor-maid
at Laburnum Villa. But now go, please; for I must be alone to think."

Tildy went. She crept downstairs to the kitchen regions. There she met
Mrs. Ross.

"The blessed young lady's full of ructions," said Tildy.

"And no wonder," replied Mrs. Ross. "She's a step above Martin, and
Martin knows it."

"I 'ope as she won't refuse to jine us at Laburnum Villa," said
Tildy.

"There's no sayin' wot a spirited gel like that'll do," said Mrs.
Ross; "but ef she do go down, Martin 'll be a match for 'er."

"I don't know about that," replied Tildy. "She 'ave a strong,
determined w'y about 'er, has our Miss Maggie."

If Mrs. Howland slept profoundly, poor Maggie could not close her
eyes. She suddenly found herself surrounded by calamity. The
comparatively small trials which she had thought big enough in
connection with Aylmer House and Cicely and Merry Cardew completely
disappeared before this great trouble which now faced her. Her
mother's income amounted to a hundred and fifty pounds a year, and out
of that meagre sum the pair had contrived to live, and, owing to Mrs.
Ward's generosity, Maggie had been educated. But now that dreadful Mr.
Martin had secured Mrs. Howland's little property, and the only
condition on which it could be spent on Maggie was that she should
accept a home with her future stepfather. This nothing whatever would
induce her to do. But what was to be done?

She had no compunction whatever in leaving her mother. They had never
been really friends, for the girl took after her father, whom her
mother had never even pretended to understand. Mrs. Howland, when she
became Mrs. Martin, would be absolutely happy without Maggie, and
Maggie knew well that she would be equally miserable with her. On the
other hand, how was Maggie to live?

Suddenly it flashed across her mind that there was a way out, or at
least a way of providing sufficient funds for the coming term at
Aylmer House. Her mother had, after all, some sort of affection for
her, and if Maggie made her request she was certain it would not be
refused. She meant to get her mother to give her all that famous
collection of jewels which her father had collected in different parts
of the world. In especial, the bracelets flashed before her memory.
These could be sold, and would produce a sum which might keep Maggie
at Aylmer House, perhaps for a year--certainly for the approaching
term.