ted tightly. She
jerked on it. The peg came out; so did the cider. She hastily
replaced the peg in its place, but the cider spurted all over her
clean white pinafore. Timidly, she went back to the kitchen.

"I did not know how to----"

She did not finish. The servant perceived her plight, and, with a
gesture, silenced her. She bustled her out into the vestibule, threw
her a clean apron, bade her put it on, and proceeded to the cellar.
She speedily caused--or thought she caused--all traces of the little
girl's blunder to disappear.

When she returned, Mr. Rougeant was talking to his daughter. He was
saying: "Listen, Adele. Miss Euston's collegiate school for ladies
will re-open on Tuesday next, September the 13th, at half-past two
o'clock. A few boarders received."

"How would you like to go there?" he asked of his daughter; merely
for form's sake, however, for he had already resolved that this
would be, if possible, Adele's future home, for some ten years at
least.

"I don't know," said the little girl, placing her thumb in her
mouth;--a sure sign of mingled deep-thought and puzzlement--a mode
of expression which, by the bye, she was not to enjoy much longer.
These gesticulations are not in harmony with boarding-school
etiquette.

Her father did not make any other remark. He placed the newspaper on
one side, and fell to work with his dinner.

This important piece of business having been accomplished, he
started to go to town on foot.

His interview with Miss Euston resulted in Adele being accepted as a
boarder. She was to be entirely entrusted to the care of Miss
Euston, and, lastly, Mr. Rougeant was to pay an annual stipend of
fifty guineas.

When he came back home, Adele's father sank in a chair. He was
tired. Moreover, he was annoyed. The fifty guineas which he had
promised to pay each year vexed him.

He said to himself: "This daughter of mine will run away with all
the profit which I am making out of my newly-opened quarry. But,
since it must be, I cannot allow myself to violate the promises made
to the dying. I must try and see if I cannot save a little more than
I have done lately. This servant costs me too much. I must get rid
of her somehow. Another one, a French one for example, would work
for four or five pounds less a year."

In this puzzled state he descended to the cellar. He had an implicit
belief in cider as a general restorative. His scrutinizing glance
soon detected the ravages caused