44 1^^^ i^^«/ Charlotte, 



** Nice ! " returned her companion with enthusiasm, " I 

 should think it was ! I'd make that one of the sweetest 

 little places in the country if I had it. There's no better 

 grass for young horses anywhere, and there's first-class 

 stabling. I can tell you you're not the only one that thinks 

 it's a nice place," he continued, " but this old devil that has 

 it won't give it up ; she'd rather let the house rot to pieces 

 over her head than go out of it." 



They rode past the barricaded hall door, and round the 

 corner of the house into the yard, and Lambert called for 

 Miss Duffy for some time in vain. Nothing responded ex- 

 cept the turkey cock, who answered each call with an 

 infuriated gobble, and a donkey, who, in the dark recesses 

 of a cow-house, lifted up his voice in heartrending rejoinder. 

 At last a window fell down with a bang in the upper story, 

 and the mistress of the house put out her head. Francie 

 had only time to catch a glimpse of a thin dirty iace, a 

 hooked nose, and unkempt black hair, before the vision was 

 withdrawn, and a slipshod step was heard coming down- 

 stairs. 



When Miss Duffy appeared at her kitchen door, she had 

 flung a shawl round her head, possibly to conceal the fact 

 that her crinkled mat of hair held thick in it, like powder, 

 the turf ashes of many sluttish days. Her stained and torn 

 black skirt had evidently just been unpinned from about her 

 waist, and was hitched up at one side, showing a frayed red 

 Galway petticoat, and that her feet had recently been thrust 

 into her boots was attested by the fact that their laces trailed 

 on the ground beside her. In spite of these disadvantages, 

 however, it was with a manner of the utmost patronage that 

 she greeted Mr. Lambert. 



" I would ask you and the young leedy to dismount," she 

 continued, in the carefully genteel voice that she clung to in 

 the wreck of her fortunes, " but I am, as you will see," she 

 made a gesture with a dingy hand, " quite ' in dishabilly,' as 

 they say ; I've been a Httle indisposed, and — " 



" Oh, no matter. Miss Duffy," interrupted Lambert, " I 

 only wanted to say a few words to you on business, and 

 Miss Fitzpatrick will ride about the place till we're done." 



Miss Duffy's small black eyes turned quickly to Francie. 



" Oh, indeed, is that Miss Fitzpatrick ? My fawther 



