idolaters of your children? I heard this child just now praying to the
Virgin Mary! Do you hear?"

Mrs. Caldwell's pale face flushed with anger.

"How dare you do such a thing, you wicked woman?" she exclaimed. "I
shall not keep you another day in the house. Pack up your things at
once, and go the first thing in the morning."

"O mamma!" Beth cried, "you're not going to send Kitty away? Kitty,
Kitty, you won't go and leave me?"

"There, you see!" Captain Caldwell exclaimed. "You see the influence
she's got over the child already! That's the Jesuit all over!"

"An ignorant woman like you, who can hardly read and write, setting up
to teach _my_ children, indeed--how dare you?" Mrs. Caldwell stormed.

"Well, m'em, I _am_ an ignorant woman that can hardly read and write,"
Kitty answered with dignity; "but I could tell you some things ye'll
not find out in all yer books, and may be they'd surprise ye."

"Kitty, ye'll not go and leave me," Beth repeated passionately.

"Troth, an' I'd stay for your sake if I could," said Kitty, "fur it's
a bad time I'm afraid ye'll be havin' once I'm gone."

"Do you hear that?" Captain Caldwell exclaimed. "Now you see what
comes of getting people of this kind into the house. She's going to
make out that the child is ill-treated."

"One of _my_ children ill-treated!" Mrs. Caldwell cried scornfully.
"Who would believe her?" Then turning to Beth: "If I ever hear you
repeat a word that wicked woman has taught you, I'll beat you as long
as I can stand over you."

Kitty looked straight into Mrs. Caldwell's face, and smiled
sarcastically, but uttered not a word.

"How dare you stand there, grinning at me in that impertinent way, you
low woman?" Mrs. Caldwell exclaimed with great exasperation. "I
believe you _are_ a Jesuit, sent here to corrupt my children. But go
you shall to-morrow morning."

"Oh, I'll go, m'em," Kitty answered quietly. She knew the case was
hopeless.

"There, now," said Mrs. Caldwell, turning to her husband. "Do you see?
That shows you! She doesn't care a bit."

Beth was clinging to Kitty, but her mother seized her by the arm, and
flung her half across the room, and was about to follow her, but
Captain Caldwell interfered. "That will do," he said significantly.
"It's no use venting your rage on the child. In future choose your
nurses better."

"Then, in future, give me better advice when I consult you about
them," Mrs. Caldwell retorted, following him out of th