that anyone who
said so wild a thing stood already self-condemned.

But Letty flung up her head with a mettle which Steptoe hadn't seen
since the days of the late Mrs. Allerton.

"I'm not in this house to drive no one else out of it. Them that have
lived here for years has a right to it which I ain't got. You can go,
and let me stay; or you can stay, and let me go. I'm the wife of the
owner of this house, who married me straight and legal; but I don't
care anything about that. You don't have to tell me I ain't fit to be
his wife, because I know it as well as you do. All I'm sayin' is that
you've got the choice to stay or go; and whichever you do, I'll do
different."

Never in her life had she spoken so many words at one time. The effort
drained her. With a torrent of dry sobs that racked her body she
dropped back into her chair.

The hush was that of people who find the tables turned on themselves
in a way they consider unwarranted. Of the general surprise Steptoe
was quick to take advantage.

"There you are, girls. Madam couldn't speak no fairer, now could
she?"

To this there was neither assent or dissent; but it was plain that no
one was ready to pick up the glove so daringly thrown down.

"Now what I would suggest," Steptoe went on, craftily, "is that we all
go back to the kitchen and talk it over quiet like. What we decide to
do we can tell madam lyter."

For consent or refusal Jane and Nettie looked to Mary Ann, whose
attitude was that of rejecting parley. She might, indeed, have
rejected it, had not Letty, bowing her head on the arms she rested on
the table, begun to cry bitterly.

It was then that you saw Mrs. Courage at her best. The gesture with
which she swept her subordinates back into the hall was that of the
supremacy of will.

"It shan't be said as I crush," she declared, nobly, directing
Steptoe's attention to the weeping girl. "Where there's penitence I
pity. God grant as them tears may gush out of an aichin' 'eart."

Chapter IX

By the time Letty was drying her eyes, her heart somewhat eased,
Steptoe had come back. He came back with a smile. Something had
evidently pleased him.

"So that's all over. Madam won't be bothered with other people's
cat-nasty old servants after to-dye."

She felt a new access of alarm. "But they're not goin' away on account
o' me? Don't let 'em do it. Lemme go instead. Oh, mister, I can't stay
here, where everything's so different from what I'm us