tily jumping up from her seat, and running
out of the room.

Mary followed, but more slowly, wondering not a little at what she had
heard, for she thought Kate had refused this place.

"Don't say any more about this situation at Lady Hazeldean's,"
whispered Kate, when they were safely shut in the bedroom.

"But what can it matter? You do not want it, Kate. Miss Eldon told my
mother she had spoken to you about it on Sunday, but your mother did
not think it worth while calling to see her about it."

"How could she, when we had to write those letters to London directly?
There, Mary, isn't that a pretty print? I am to wear print dresses and
holland aprons in the morning, but Marion says we may wear what we like
in the afternoon, and so I am going to have a new dress for best, and
what I have been wearing on Sunday I shall wear every day there."

"Yes," answered Mary, but it was in rather an absent-minded manner, for
she felt puzzled about Kate, and her strange anxiety lest she should
talk about this situation she had obtained.

On Sunday, when the girls met as usual on their way to school, the
prospects of their two companions were again discussed, and although a
few, like Esther, wished they could go to London as Kate was going, it
was agreed that Mary was very fortunate in getting such a good
situation, although, as it was remarked, Miss Eldon always did get her
girls excellent places.

Kate felt rather vexed at having to hear all the excellencies of this
despised situation enumerated, and was not sorry to reach school, but
her teacher's first words vexed her still more, and put her into a
fright too.

"I was coming to see your mother last Tuesday, Kate; I hope she has not
been ill."

"Oh, no, ma'am; she's quite well, thank you," answered Kate.

"Then it was not illness prevented her from coming to see me on Monday?"

Kate coloured and hung her head, as she answered, "No, ma'am."

"Did you forget to deliver my message? I think I told you I wanted to
see her about a situation for you."

"You said you wanted to see her, ma'am, but--but I forgot it," said
Kate, under her breath.

"Well, never mind, it does not matter much, Kate, for I hear you have a
situation in London now," said Miss Eldon, thinking Kate was vexed and
angry with herself for having forgotten her message. But the fact was,
Kate, who was neither an untruthful nor deceitful girl, shrank from
telling a direct lie. She had yielded to the t