The Saint Paul globe., 1900-11-19

return. You see. our means are small. :
on, indeed said Miss O'Neill with pc
lite interest
Yes, and of course the loss of Molly S
salary is a loss
Yes, but dear Mrs. Mackenzie inter
rupted the other with her most winning
smile, you see she costs you nothing
Whlle she is here, and when at home her
presence must entail certain amount Of
expense She can't live upon air. dear
child. can she? And I should think she
must cost you quite as much as she
Il am the best judge of that, 1 think, :"
returned Mrs. Mackenzie with some irri-
tation. Besides, after all, the child is
my child, Miss O'Nein 1 brought her up,
and I have the most right to her.
Well, I want to keep her. said the
6ido 9id lady' i sitting s.,f bolt upright and nod
blood, remember that If she is happy
here, why shouldn't she stay here? If
she We're to come and tell me of her own
accord that she really wished to leave it
would be different matter, but -"
AS it happens, that is just what she
means to do" interposed the other tri-
matter over and she has fully made up
her mind to speak to you.'
oh, she has, has she?" said Miss
o'Neill, falling fiat on her pillows, and
speaking in an altered tone, 81 imagined
that she was quite contented here
Wei, you see, she is IN such a false
position, explained Mrs Mackenzie, for
getting her exasperat on, and speaking
cOnf1dentially. Taken cut of her nat
Ural sphere, you know, and kept hanging
or without knowing what to expect
There was a pause, the visitor in her
turn cautiously peeping round at the old
lady, and quickly averting her eyes
again on meeting the latter's sharp in
QuiSitive gaze
1T is rather hard for the girl resum-
ed Mrs. Mackenzie. You know she has
given up her situation, and left her home
after all, her home and be 1t ever SO
humble, there's no place like home you
know.
Miss O'Neill lay motionless and still
silent, even this pQetical outburst having
apparently no effect on her.
another question is, is it good for the
child to be here?' went on Mrs Macken-
zie, her voice insensibly assuming a
II am not aware that there, is anything
catching in the neighborhood, returned
the old lady snappishly, and 1t is consld-
'T am speaking of moral health the
other was beginning with some dignity,
when a fresh Interruption arrested her
Is my society. SO conta1mlnattiInIig thenF
Miss O'Neill!' crefd Mrs. Mackenzie,
jerking her feet off the fender, and wheel
ing round in her chair, you know quite
well what I mean. The long and the
short of it is I won't have the girl kept
dangling on here on false pretenses. II
She is fo earn her bread in future, this
sort of life is not a good apprentce5snmIp 5 mp
for her She sees that herself, and so,
am sure must you. You know your
own plans" suddely remembering her IN
tentiOn of being diplomatic, and endeaV-
oring to speak calmly and d1spasslonately'
"and of course it is all right. There has
been nothing said, and whatever We may
have thought does not matter. Molly IS
not worse off than she was oetoTe, ana
has enjoyed her holiday. The pleasure
was mutual, I am sure for she mas been
most attentive"-here the aggrieYed note
would come creeping back into her voice
again against her Will-'moSt attentive,
poor dear child, and so cheerful and
agreeable [ think you'll miss her"
She fixed her eyes inquiringly on Miss
O'Neill's face, thinking that Ihls speecn tg-.l
must extort some expression OF her views
from her, only a promise to make 1t
worth Molly's while to stay a little long
er, but, to her surprise, it had no such
effect The old lady yawned gently, ana
partially closed her eyes.
'I think She observed, sweetly, after
a pause eff you would be so very KIND
as to ring the bell for my maid to draw
down the blinds, I could take a little nap.
Ohs-as Mrs Mackenzie flounced over
to the WindoWs-"I couldn't think of
troubling you to, do O., SO yourself. how how
Au revoir till tea time. have no doubt
1 shall be quite refreshed by then.
really think 1 can take a little nap now
AS the door closed after her discom-
fitted guest. however, Miss O'Neill jumped
up like a jack-in-the-box, her eyes flash
'7The little, SLY, calculating pussr' she
exclaimed WAS most attentive and
so cheerful and agreeable was she?
Thought she would make herself indspen-
sable, I suppose, so that she could drive
a hard bargain. Has been talking it
over with her aunt, and is surprised
there has been nothing said?' Oh, you
mercenary. little sinner cried the Old
lady. giving vicious dig to her pillow
as she apoStrOphised the absent Molly,
that I should be so deceived in you'll
Never mind! Perhaps you'll find me a
match for you after all!''
CTo be continuedO
Copyrighted in the United States of
America by D. T. Pierce.