n I am in trouble nothing tempts me so
much as a cup of tea and a slice off the breast. Just take off your
hat, and sit down as you are. Everything is ready."

Miss Munns was evidently gratified to receive an acknowledgment of her
efforts, and insisted upon waiting upon her niece and loading her plate
with one good thing after another; but after the meal was over there
followed a painful half-hour, when Sylvia had to submit to a searching
cross-questioning on the events of the past weeks.

Unlike Bridgie, Miss Munns insisted upon detail--had a ghoulish
curiosity to know in exactly what words Mrs Nisbet had broken the sad
news, in exactly what words Sylvia had replied, in exactly what manner
the first black days had been spent. Her spectacles were dimmed with
tears as she listened to what the girl had to tell, and her thin lips
quivered with genuine grief; but she was still acutely interested to
hear of the number of carriages at the funeral, of the meals in the
hotel, and the purchase of Sylvia's mourning garments.

"You must show them to me to-morrow. I expect they are very smart--
coming from France. I always wear black, so there was not much to be
done. I had the black satin taken off my cashmere dress, and folds of
crape put in its place, and some dull trimming, instead of jet, on my
cape. I haven't decided about my bonnet. You must give me your advice.
Of course, I wish to do everything that is proper, but it's been an
expensive year."

"Yes," assented Sylvia absently. She rose from her seat and, walking
across the room, leant her elbow on the mantelpiece. There was
something she wanted to say, and it was easier to say it with averted
face. "Aunt Margaret, I want to ask you a question. Please tell me the
truth. Shall I have any money? Was father able to provide for me? I
know you are not well off, and I could not bear to be a burden to you.
If I have no money of my own, I must try to earn some."

"I should be telling you the truth, my dear, if I said that I knew less
about it than you do yourself. Your father was very close about
business matters--very close indeed. He was supposed to have a good
business a few years ago, and was always very handsome in his ways, but
he has grumbled a good deal of late, and I don't know how things will be
now he is gone. He had a lawsuit with an old partner in Ceylon, which
hung on a long time. I don't know if it is settled yet; and, if not, we
shall have to