him. If she has, the parish won't hold you nor me."

"Abominably brusque and rude!" Flossy said to herself, as she drew the
scrap of paper from its hiding-place. "But one cannot mould clay without
soiling one's fingers, I suppose. It is months since Mrs. Meldreth died;
and evidently Enid knows less than I supposed, or has made up her mind
to keep the secret. But what do these meetings with Mr. Evandale mean?
Is she confiding her troubles to him then? The little fool! I must see
Sabina Meldreth, and Hubert too. What a good thing I had written to him
to come--though not for the sake of pleasing Miss Enid, as the General
fondly supposes! I must send for Sabina."

But the wish seemed to have brought about its own fulfilment. At that
very moment Parker knocked at her mistress' door.

"Will you see Miss Meldreth, ma'am? She says she would like a few words
with you, if you can see her. She's down-stairs."

"Bring Sabina Meldreth to me," said Mrs. Vane.

CHAPTER XXIV.

Flossy's first instinctive desire was to rise from her sofa and receive
Sabina Meldreth standing--not at all by way of politeness, but as an
intimation that the interview was not intended to be a long one. On
second thoughts, she lay still. A show of languor and indifference was
more likely to produce an impression on Sabina than excitement. Mrs.
Vane closed her heavy white eyelids, and did not raise them until the
fair-haired woman in black, whom Hubert had noticed with the singers on
New Year's Eve, was standing beside her couch.

"I thought you was asleep," said Miss Meldreth, with a slightly insolent
air. "Some people can sleep through anything."

"All the better for them," answered Mrs. Vane dryly. "Why have you
come?" She was not going to admit that she had been longing to see her
visitor.

"I've come for the usual thing," said Sabina doggedly--"I want some
money."

"You had some last month."

"Yes, and had to write three times for it--and me bothered about my
rent. You're not carrying on business on fair terms, Mrs. Vane. I want
to have a clear understanding. Mother managed all the money matters
before; but she's gone now, and I should like something definite."

"What do you mean by 'definite'?"

"Either money down or regular quarterly payments, ma'am. You owe me that
when you think of all I've done for you."

"Have I done nothing for you then," said Flossy, with a red gleam in her
brown eyes, "in saving you from disgrace, ridding