entering the room had raised
herself for a second on tiptoe to look into a distant corner, and then,
remarking to herself, half audibly, "His boords is gane," subsided, and
contented herself with watching Miss Mackenzie's movements.

There seemed to be no one to do the honors. The inmates all looked at
each other for a moment hesitatingly, then resumed their various
occupations. A young woman, a sickly, livid-faced creature, rose from
her place behind the door, and, advancing with a halting step, said to
Miss Mackenzie, "Mistress Kennedy's no' in, an' Wishart's oot wi's
boords."

"I wanted to see him about this child, who was found begging in the
streets to-day."

Miss Mackenzie looked curiously at the woman, wondering if she could
belong in any way to the Wishart family. She was a miserable object,
seemingly in the last stage of consumption.

"Eh, mem," she answered hurriedly, and drawing nearer, "ye're a guid
leddy, I ken, an' tak' t' lassie away oot o' this. The mither's an awfu'
wuman: tak' her away wi' ye, or she'll sune be as bad. She'll be like
mysel' and the rest o' them here."

"I will, I will," Miss Mackenzie said, shocked and startled, recoiling
before the spirit-reeking breath of this warning spectre. "I will, I
will," she repeated hastily. There was no use remaining any longer. She
went out, beckoning to Baubie, who was busy rummaging about a bed at the
top of the room.

Baubie had bethought her that it was time to take her father his dinner.
So she slipped over to that corner of the big kitchen which was allotted
to the Wishart family and possessed herself of a piece of a loaf which
was hidden away there. As she passed by the fire she profited by the
momentary abstraction of the people who were cooking to snap up and make
her own a brace of unconsidered trifles in the shape of onions which
were lying near them. These, with the piece of bread, she concealed on
her person, and then returned to Miss Mackenzie, who was now in the
passage.

"Baubie," said that lady, "I will send some one here about you. Now,
don't let me hear of your singing in the streets or begging again. You
will get into trouble if you do."

She was descending the stairs as she spoke, and she turned round when
she had reached the entry: "You know the police will take you, Baubie."

"Yes, mem," answered Baubie, duly impressed.

"Well, now, I am going home. Stay: are you hungry?"

Without waiting for her answer, Miss Mackenzie e