ll the luxurious appliances in her toilet, and wondered if Mr.
Hamilton had paid for them.

Miss Darrell seemed to read my thoughts in a most wonderful way.

'Poor mother left very little except personal jewellery. Yes, I owe
everything to Giles's generosity. He is good enough to say that I earn my
allowance,--and indeed I am never idle; but,' interrupting herself, 'I do
not want to talk of myself; I am a very insignificant person,--just
Giles's housekeeper; Gladys is mistress of the house. I only wanted you
to explain to Mr. Cunliffe that I am not to blame for Gladys's strange
whim. Let me explain a little. She was looking very ill and overworked,
and I begged Giles to lecture her. I told him that there was no need for
Gladys to do quite so much; in fact, she was putting herself a little too
forward in the parish, considering how young she was, and the vicar an
unmarried man. So Giles and I gave her a word. I am sure he spoke most
gently, and I was very careful indeed in only giving her a hint that
people, and even Mr. Cunliffe, might misconstrue such devotion. I never
saw Gladys in such a passion; and the next day she had flung everything
up. She told the vicar that the schoolroom made her head ache, and that
her throat was delicate, and she could not sing. Poor Mr. Cunliffe was
in such despair that I was obliged to offer my services. It is far too
much for me; but what can I do? the parish must not suffer for Gladys's
wilfulness. Now if you could only explain things a little to Mr.
Cunliffe; he looked so hurt the other night when Gladys refused to take
her old class. No wonder he misses her, for she used to teach the
children splendidly; but if he knew it was only a little temper on
Gladys's part he would look over it and be friends with her again. But
you must have noticed yourself, Miss Garston, how little he had to say
to her.'

I had found it impossible to check Miss Darrell's loquacity or to edge in
a single word; but as soon as her breath failed I rose to take my leave,
and she did not seek to detain me.

'You will explain this to Mr. Cunliffe, for Gladys's sake,' she said,
holding my hand. 'I do want him to think well of her, and I can see his
good opinion is shaken.'

But to this I made no audible reply; but, as I shook off the dust of
Gladwyn, I told myself that Uncle Max should not hear Miss Darrell's
version from my lips. She wished to make me a tool in her hands; but her
breach of confidence had a ve