mother will be glad to see you, character or no character."

"Oh, ma'am, you wouldn't go for to be so cruel, would you?" cried Parker
the unwise, evidently on the verge of a flood of tears. "Without a
character, ma'am, I'm sure I couldn't get a good place; and you know my
mother has only what I earn to live upon. You wouldn't turn me off at a
moment's notice for----"

"You are wasting a great deal of time," said Flossy coldly. "Say what
you have to say, and I will be the judge as to whether you have or have
not obeyed my orders. Where are your notes?"

Smothering a sob, Parker drew from her pocket a little black book, from
which she proceeded to read aloud. But her voice was so thick, her
articulation so indistinct by reason of her half-suppressed emotion,
that presently, with an exclamation of impatience, Mrs. Vane turned and
took the book straight out of her hands.

"You read abominably, Parker?" she said. "Where is it? Let me see.
'Sunday'--oh, yes, I know all about Sunday!--'Church, Sunday-school,
church'--as usual. What's this? 'Mr. Evandale walked home with Miss E.
from afternoon school.' I never heard of that! Where were you?"

"Walking behind them, ma'am."

"Could you hear anything? What do your notes say? H'm!" They walked very
slow and spoke soft--could not hear a word. At the Park gates Mr. E.
took her hand and held it while he talked. Miss E. seemed to be crying.
The last thing he said was, "You know you may always trust me." Then he
went down the road again, and Miss E. came home. Monday.--Miss E. very
pale and down-like. Indoors all morning teaching Master D. Walked up to
the village with him after his dinner; went to the schools; saw Mr. E.
and walked along the lane with him. Mr. E. seemed more cheerful, and
made her laugh several times. The rest of the day Miss E. spent indoors.
Tuesday.--Miss E. teaching Master Dick till twelve. Riding with the
master till two. Lunch and needlework till four. Mr. Evandale came to
call. "Why was I never told that Mr. Evandale came to call?" said
Flossy, starting up a little, and fixing her eyes, bright with a
wrathful red gleam in their brown depths, upon the shrinking maid.

"I don't know, ma'am. I thought that you had been told."

Flossy sank back amongst her cushions, biting her lip; but she resumed
her reading without further comment.

"'Stayed an hour, part of the time with Miss E. alone, then with the
master. Little Master Dick in and out most of the time.