in, and was greeted with love and pride by | his aunt. "My dear fellow! How you have grown! But I do believe I see a careworn expression in your face, as if the course of something something- had not run smooth." He turned abruptly from her and came directly to Josephine, who, in spite of her efforts to remain composed, colored and trembled. "We have met before-at Hanford," he said, with a bow, and extended hand; but whether he spoke to explain his conduct to his aunt, or to introduce himself to Josephine, who might not recollect him, Miss Otterbourne could not discover. "You will be pleased to hear that the rector and my mother are in flourishing condition," he went on. "I hope I may be able to inform them, when I write, that you are well and happy." He spoke civilly, formally, yet kindly; and what he said might have been addressed indiscriminately to a lady or a lady's maid. "The rogue!" said Miss Otterbourne to herself. "He, also, wants to keep me in the dark. There is some mystery; but I shall worm it out." Josephine kept away from the drawingroom whilst the captain was there; her mistress did not need her when she had her nephew to talk to. She hoped to have an opportunity of speaking with him in private before long, that she might relieve her mind, after which it was her intention to leave the service of Miss Otterbourne. It did not advantage her to remain there longer. Her mistress had drawn her into association with herself, and she could associate with ladies as at Hanford. As for the servants at Bewdley, she did not wish to be on terms of familiarity with them. They did not represent the class to which Richard belonged. She must seek representatives of his order elsewhere. Captain Sellwood occupied the best bedroom, with a small sitting-room adjoining, and on the other side a dressingroom. He did not care for a fire in his bedroom; but there was one in the sittingroom, and there his aunt allowed him to smoke. He had no valet with him to attend to his clothes; and after he was dressed for dinner, the housemaid folded those he had taken off and put them away, and got the room ready for the night. The sitting-room had to be made tidy; the scraps of letters and envelopes to be picked up; his newspaper to be folded and placed on the table; his cigar end, left on the mantelshelf, to be buried in the red depths of the fire; a flower-glass upset on the side table to be refilled, the blos soms rearranged, and the water to be wiped up. How untidy men are! No, not all men not Richard. And had not Josephine been just as careless when in her own house? She put everything together in the sitting-room. Captain Sellwood had worn gloves lined with swansdown, which his mother had insisted on his wearing whilst on the journey; but either the moth had got into them, or the down was badly put on at first, and, as he found the wool coming off, whilst he was smoking he amused himself with picking it off the inside of his gloves and throwing little tufts on the floor, where it adhered to the pile of the Brussels carpet. The collecting of this down engaged Josephine some time, and she said to herself: “If people only knew the trouble they give by their want of consideration!" and then remembered she would have done the same in former years. She was engaged picking the particles out of the carpet pile, when the bedroom door opened and Captain Sellwood came in, with one patent-leather boot on his foot and the other in his hand. Josephine looked up as the door opened, and rose. 66 Oh," said he, "I am sorry. There is a peg in the sole that hurts me, and I have come for the poker to drive it down." Josephine rose from her knees, color One evening, the housemaid who shared her room told her that a sister and cousin had come to Bewdley and had asked her to meet them and walk with them to the station. She had, however, her duties in the house, and could not go out, leaving these neglected. As for the under house-ing. maid, she was engaged with her own work, and could not be trusted to arrange the rooms would Josephine mind relieving her of this for an hour or two? "It's the captain's two rooms have to be looked after," said the young woman. "If you'll do this for me to-day, Cable, I'll help you what I can another time." Josephine, at once, good-naturedly con sented. "Do not let me disturb you," he said. "I will go away." He had a crimson silk stocking on his unshod foot. "Shall I knock down the peg for you, Captain Sellwood?" asked Josephine. "There is a hammer in the housemaid's cupboard." "Not on any consideration; but if you will kindly fetch me the hammer, I shall be grateful. I do not know the where abouts of the said cupboard." He held | kitchen that it was genuine. Notwithout his hand to help her up. "What have you been about?" he asked. "Collecting all these particles of swansdown. They are difficult to get out of the carpet." "I threw them there," he said; "but I am glad it has given me the opportunity of speaking to you alone, which I have desired, and failed to get." standing her bringing-up, Josephine had much guilelessness in her. She knew Captain Sellwood well, had known him since she was a child, and was aware that he was an honorable man, who would never forget the respect due to her. He knew her story- that she was married; and that she had met with trouble. That he knew why she had gone into service, she did not suppose. He was aware that she had resigned her right to the inher"itance of Gabriel Gotham -all Hanford knew that; but the reasons for her so doing were not divulged. The captain, she presumed, thought she had been forced to take service because she was left penniless. That he would not press her to tell him anything she kept to herself, she was well satisfied. He was a gentleman, if a somewhat heavy one. "I also," said Josephine, "wish to have a little private talk with you; butShe looked round, and seeing that some one was in the corridor and that the door of the sitting-room was open, she added: "I will get the hammer for your boot at once. Then she went out at the door and closed it behind her. She had a candle in her hand, and saw standing before her the butler, with a mocking expression on his sinister face. "What are you doing there, Cable? You have no business in these rooms." She would rather not have answered him, and have passed on without a reply; but she considered that she had to return, and that the butler must be got rid of, so she answered with as much indifference as she could assume, that the housemaid was going to the station with her friends, and had asked her to see to the bedrooms. "And to chat with the captain, who slipped away from table before his usual time." Josephine colored at his insolence. She had taken Captain Sellwood's boot in her hand, and whether advisable or not, she must return with it. She went her way without appearing to notice the remark made by the butler. In ten minutes she returned with the boot; she had succeeded in knocking down the peg. As she came to the captain's door she looked round to see that the coast was clear, and then tapped lightly. He opened at once, and she went in. She was nervous and agitated. The situation was not a pleasant one; and if she had not made up her mind to speak to him, she would have given him the boot at the door and not have gone in. But three or four days of his visit to his aunt had elapsed without her obtaining the opportunity she sought, and she did not see how she could obtain the desired interview without attracting attention and arousing curiosity. Mr. Vickary was probably satisfied with the explanation she had given. If he doubted it, he could satisfy himself in the She closed the door behind her, and went towards Captain Sellwood with something of her old frankness, holding his boot in her hand. "I must have a little talk with you," she said. "And there is no time like the present. I hold you ar rested by one foot. You shall not have your boot till you have listened to me." "I am not likely to run away from you, Mrs. Cable, unless you draw out of your quiver some of your old arrows; then, knowing their sharpness, I might in selfdefence take to flight." 66 "No; I have broken off all their heads. I will never hurt any one again —at least not with them." "Take a chair, Mrs. Cable.” "I had rather stand." "And I insist on your being seated." She obeyed, taking a small armchair near the fire. He had lighted the candles on the mantelpiece, and stood by the fire, with his elbow on the shelf, resting on his shod foot, with the red-stockinged foot crossed over the other. "The matter about which I desire to speak to you," she said, going at once to her point, "concerns Miss Otterbourne. You and your mother ought to know how she is treated by her servants. She is robbed on all sides. She is surrounded by perfectly unscrupulous persons, who are in league against her. There are val uables in this house, heirlooms; nothing is safe from their rapacity. Dear Miss Otterbourne is so confiding that she leaves everything about her keys, her chequebook; her drawers are not locked, and any one can get at her jewelry. The plate is intrusted to Mr. Vickary, and some one ought to be intrusted with the looking after of Mr. Vickary. Is there a list of | to the untrustworthy aggravates the evil. the plate? Do you think Miss Otter- Why, what will become of the servant bourne herself knows what family jewels girls of this establishment when they she has? I have ventured to entreat her marry? They have learned here to be to keep her bureau locked where she has dainty, thriftless, and dishonest; to take some securities, she ought to send them to themselves whatever comes to hand, to her banker's; but she likes to retain and to use everything without considerathem in her own hands. I am sure the tion of what it costs. They will make butler has been to that bureau, though I their husbands and families wretched and will not say he has abstracted anything. wicked." Josephine spoke with veheWhat I fear is - were anything to happen mence, because she felt strongly, and had to your aunt - suppose a stroke, which is been bottling up her indignation ever since not impossible or improbable at her age, she had begun to see into the condition of then this house would be at the dis- affairs in the house, without the opportuposal of her servants. They might take nity of giving it vent. what they liked, and who would stop them? An old lady ought never to be left as Miss Otterbourne is without a relative by her to guard her interests." "Dear Mrs. Cable," said Captain Sellwood, "my mother cannot be here. It is also out of the question that I should. We had hoped when you came 66 Exactly, that I was to be life and body guard to her Majesty. I do not feel disposed to be that. I tell you the state of affairs, and then I go. I cannot remain here. Miss Otterbourne is very kind, and I like her; but I cannot remain. You can see that for yourself. Having revealed the misdemeanors of my fellowservants, I must go as well as they." "I do not see that." "I do. I could not stay. There are other matters behind all this that I have told you; but you know enough." "What is to be done?" Captain Sellwood stood looking down at his unbooted foot, meditating. His face was troubled. "It would be conferring on us the greatest favor, it would be laying us under a lifelong obligation, if you would consent to stay as companion to my aunt." "I cannot. The captain who applies the match to the powder-room does not blow up the crew and provide for his own safety-they all go up into the air together. I cannot do what seems mean." "We have no claim whatever on you; but you are here on the spot-if"No, Captain Sellwood - no! How slow you are to take a no!" Then ensued another silence. "I have said what I had to say, and now I must go." She made a motion to rise. He waved his hand. "I pray you one moment longer. About yourself. If you insist on leaving this house, where will you go?" "I do not know. I have not consid "What is to be done?" repeated Josephine, with a return to her old contemptu-ered." ous manner. "You are a man, a soldier, and ask me that!" "Precisely; because I am a man and a soldier, I know nothing about domestic matters; I cannot engage a new set of servants." "But you can induce your aunt to dismiss these." "And I know very well that with a new supply she would fare no better. She has had relays of ladies' maids, and has demoralized them all-made very decent girls my mother has sent her, dishonest and given to drink." "Well, I have discharged my duty. It is for you to act on the information you have received. This house not only demoralizes the ladies' maids, but the entire parish. Your good old aunt, with a mind full of religion and kindliness, is poisoning every man, woman, and child who comes near her. Trust is a very good thing when well applied; but trust given "Excuse me, Mrs. Cable. I do not want to touch on matters that I have no right to put my finger on, but - we are old acquaintances of many, many years' standing. I cannot bear to think of your being in positions to which you were not born. Do not be offended. I am a clumsy man with my tongue, as you know very well." He spoke with such truth and kindness, such real feeling in his voice, that Josephine's heart grew soft. "I ask no questions; I want to know nothing about any of these matters that have occurred and that have affected you; but I do pray you I pray you do nothing without consulting my mother; and do not do not be too proud to take her helping hand. Indeed, you can do my mother no greater favor than ask her to help you in any and every way." It Josephine did not answer at once. was not possible for her to answer with frankness without entering into an expla and shut the door, whereupon he went to Miss Otterbourne in the drawing-room, whither she had retired after dinner, and was waiting for her nephew to rejoin her, when he had sat sufficiently long over the wine and dessert. nation of her circumstances, which she could not do to him. After thinking, and turning his boot about in her hand, she said: I am very sensible, Captain Sellwood, of your kindness; and I know how good and generous your dear mother is, and how I can rely as well on your "I beg your pardon, ma'am," said the father. He approves of all I have done. butler; "I do hope I'm not taking a libYou must not think me wanting in gener-erty, ma'am; but may I ask if you told osity if I change the subject. You have Cable to go in and out as she liked of the drawn the conversation away from your captain's apartments? aunt to me, and I had rather not have it turn about myself, but revert to what we spoke of at first." "As you will, Mrs. Cable." "Of course not, Vickary." "I'm sorry to trouble you, ma'am. I see her running in there a score of times -it's remarked by the servants, and rather unpleasant, and Mrs. Grundy says she has given no such orders; so we thought it best, ma'am, if I were to ask if "I think that you must get a gentlewoman to live here as companion to Miss Otterbourne, and strike at once at Mr. Vickary. The housekeeper and the maid-you, ma'am, had empowered her so to do. servants are not bad-hearted; but no one in the household has the moral courage to withstand him. Try to induce your aunt to part with him and take a suitable companion. Then the servants' hall can be weeded leisurely." A tap at the door. The captain called out to come in, and Josephine looked round to see who asked admission. She was thinking only of what she was saying, and had forgotten where she was, and how strange it would seem to any one opening the door for her to be seated by Captain Sellwood's fire in his private sitting and smoking room talking confidentially with him. In the doorway stood Miss Otterbourne; and Josephine caught a glimpse of the butler gliding away from behind her. Really!" exclaimed the old lady "really I am surprised—I— I 66 "There is your boot, Captain Sellwood," said Josephine, starting up, suddenly conscious of her situation, and hurriedly left the room. He took the boot, and slowly and clumsily drew it on. He also saw what an awkward position they had been in. "Can you allow me a tête-à-tête?" asked the old lady somewhat stiffly; "or -do you prefer younger society? "It was," he stammered "my-my boot that we were engaged upon. We are old chums; we were chumming, aunt, only chumming." You will excuse me, ma'am, but when there is talk - and when the young woman tells lies about it "Lies, Vickary! "Well, ma'am, just now I see her go in there, and the captain there too. I said to her that I didn't consider it quite right - it was not her place; and she told me that the housekeeper had set her to attend to the room, which, ma'am, I knew not to be true." "The captain is in the dining-room." "I'm sorry to differ from you, ma'am ; but he went up very quickly to his rooms, and Cable was in after him directly. It must be very unpleasant, ma'am, for a young gentleman to be so run after, and it makes talk in the house." Miss Otterbourne was much astonished and greatly indignant. "Do you mean to tell me, Vickary, that she is there now?" "I believe so, madam." "And the captain is there?" "I saw him by the fire; and Cable shut the door after her when she went in." "Go and fetch her at once. No. I will go myself. I really upon my word - to say the least-how inconsiderate!" She The old lady was very angry. raised herself with difficulty from her armchair, drew a silk handkerchief over her shoulders, as a protection against damp or draught outside the room, and walked in the direction of her nephew's suite of apartments. When she opened the door and saw Josephine seated in an armchair on one side of the fire and the captain standing near her, in earnest conversation, she was as irritated as if her nettle rash had suddenly come out over her temper. As soon as Josephine had left the room, Miss Otterbourne said, she was panting from having ascended a flight and walked as ?" "It was not worth while. When I came in, I found her on her knees picking up the bits of down, and I asked her for a hammer, or she offered one, I do not recollect which; and then she whipped the boot out of my hand and went off with it. It was most good-natured of her." "I object to young women being goodnatured with young men. Good-nature may go too far." "And then I asked her to sit down. I wanted to talk to her about Hanford, and my mother, and mutual acquaintances. I was awfully sorry for her, to see her in such circumstances." "I disapprove of young men being, as you call it, 'awfully sorry' for distressed damsels; there is no knowing to what this awful sorrow may lead." "She had no right here. And are you aware, Algernon, that you have had a hole My dear aunt, it was natural. I have the size of a threepenny piece in the sole known her, and she was my playmate, of your foot, at the heel, exposed? If since we were children. I do like her; I you had had any sense of decency, you always have liked her. Why, if I were in would have kept your foot flat on the car- reduced circumstances, you, aunt, would pet, instead of turning it up. I don't care not cut me." whether she is a lady by birth and breed- "No"-slightly mollified. "But I am ing; she is no lady at heart, or she would your aunt, and not a young creature. That never have sat here half an hour or three-makes mountains of difference. And pray, quarters, staring at a bit of your heel ex- is it only her reduced circumstances that posed, the size of a threepenny piece. stirs up in you such awful sorrow? She That alone stamps her. She has a nasty has had some other trouble, I know. Are mind, and must go." you acquainted with her intended? Have you brought her a message from him?" "She has no intended." My dear aunt, surely you are hard in judging. There was a peg in my boot that stood up, and that hurt my foot, and no doubt at the same time worked the hole in my stocking." "That is very probable," said Miss Otterbourne. "But I should like to know, were you aware it was there? "Then it is broken off! I was sure she has had an affair of the heart, she has looked so peaky and pale since she has been here.' "I do not know anything about her heart affairs," said Captain Sellwood. "I know that one or two fellows have been awfully fond of her." "Indeed! Is it possible that one who has confessed to awful sorrow should also |