as the limits of its chain would permit, and Mrs. Rainham's face appe

n fell, and the door opened. "I wonder you trouble

s. Rainham," Bob said che

e. She held the door hal

in," she answered frigidly. "Cecilia

was so late when she got out this afternoon that I kept h

r to be in

realize how late she was in getting

r own mismanagement-"

our music," she stopped, in amazement at herself. It was rarely indeed that she answered any accusation of her

dent that his stepmother's rage was preventing her from speaking, and, as he remarked later, there was no knowing when he would ever get such a chance again. "She really ne

uriously. "She knew I had company, and expected her help. I had to see to the children's tea myself. And how do I know where she's been?-gallivant

said Cecilia cheerfully

her in sole

ner and a theatre. I haven't made much claim to her time during the las

You don't give her a home, do you? And as

n will, I assure you; and meanwhile, she earns a good deal more than her

ddenly tur

y woman in the doorway to hurt her much. What she could not bear was that their happy evening should be spoiled by hard and cruel words at its c

right." She whispered a few quick words of French, be

my wish-I take full responsibility, and I'll be ready to tell my father so." The door closed behind Cecilia, and he strode away down the street, biting his lip. He felt abominably

ously. "If she were onl

ned many times before, to the catalogue of her sins and misdeeds-only she had never seen her stepmother quite

and let the girl go to bed,"

he looked at her with a spark of

om the furious woman who stood looking at them. "Run off to bed, now-no more talking." Cecilia ran ups

s actually having intervened. The incredible thing had happened. For a moment she felt a

he glamour of her happy evening was still upon her; even the scene with her stepmother had not had power to chase it away. The scene was only to be expected; the laughter of the evening was worth so ev

olent curiosity; they knew that a storm had been brewing for her the night before, and longed to know just how thoroughly she had "caught it." Eliza, bringing in singed and belated toast, looked at her with pity, tinged with admiration. Cook and she had been awakened at midnight by what was evidently, in the words

ead, she showed her displeasure by a kind of cold rudeness that gave a subtle insult to her smallest remark. The children were manifestly delighted. Cecilia was more or less in the position

mpt to keep order. She opened he

at all, so I can only hope that in time you will get tired of being idle. I can't atte

ice row from the Mat

do not feel compelled to talk to such rude little children as you any more. When you are able to speak politely you may co

nsidered the question of going out; a pleasant thing to do, only that their mother had laid upon them a special injunction not to leave Cecilia, and she was in a mood that made disobedience extremely dangerous. Cecilia quite understood that she was being watched. No

etters indefinitely. I suppose she will get tired of it after a while." But meanwhile she found the spying rather amusing. Avice popped up unexpectedly if she went near the front door

I suppose if there had been any letters for you they would be on your plate." She flushed a little under the girl's direct gaze, and turned her attentio

ce it seemed unlikely that Eliza would be able to get time off to go out. If Mrs. Rainham's well-known dislike for walking proved too strong for her desire to watch her stepdaughter, it would be easy enough to do it during the afternoon; but this hope proved vain, for when sh

was nothing for it but to act boldly, and accordingly, when they entered a street in which there was a post office, she let

minute,

y was provokingly slow; he finished checking a document, and then lou

said, and turned away just as quick steps we

re you

her with s

visions of covering her real purpose by b

an a pieth of paper!"

to the clerk, who stood open-mouthed, holding the telegram in hi

Cecilia was a pretty girl, and moreover her telegram was for a flying captain.

a'am. The message

me se

lerk. "Property of the Postmaster-General now, ma

you!" Mrs.

e clerk's grin widened. Cecilia wished him good afternoon grav

in that

to my

was

there was nothing wrong in it," Cecilia s

have any business that

und her te

ay that-I do not know," she said.

right!" her stepmother blazed. "For t

laughed

done nothing wrong." She dropped her voice-passers-by were looking with interest at the eld

until you're twenty-one, and be very thankful to make yourself useful. The law will deal with Bob if he tries to take you away-you're a minor, and it'd be abduction." The word had a pleasantly

ey; it might very well have left her defenceless. Her stepmother seemed familiar with its powers, and able to evoke them at will; and though she did not t

se in my house, and you shan't go out to meet him, either. He only leads you into mischief; I don't consider he has at all a good influence over you. The sooner he's away somewhere, earning his own living in a pr