322 The Real Charlotte. 



" Was he very devoted, Mrs. Baker ? " asked Miss Beattie 

 with a simper. 



" Oh, I suppose he was," answered Mrs. Baker, as if in 

 contempt for any sentiment inspired by Francie, "but I 

 can't say I observed anything very particular." 



" Oh, then, / did ! " said Miss Baker with a nod of 

 superior intelHgence ; " I was watching them all the time ; 

 every word she uttered he was listening to it, and when she 

 asked for the tea-cosy h&Jlew for it ! " 



" Eliza Hackett told my Maria there was shocking waste 

 going on in the house now ; fires in the drawing-room from 

 eight o'clock in the morning, and this the month of May ! " 

 said Mrs. Corkran with an approving eye at the cascade of 

 cut paper that decked her own grate, " and the cold meat 

 given to the boy that cleans the boots ! " 



^' Roddy Lambert'll be sorry for it some day when it's 

 too late," said Mrs. Baker darkly, " but men are all aHke ; 

 it's out of sight out of mind with them ! " 



" Oh, Mrs. Baker," wheezed Mrs. Corkran with asthmatic 

 fervour, " I think you're altogether too cynical ; I'm sure 

 that's not your opinion of Mr. Baker." 



" I don't know what he might do if I was dead," replied 

 Mrs. Baker, " but I'll answer for it he'll not be carrying on 

 with Number Two while Fm aUve, like other people I 

 know 1 " 



" Oh, don't say such things before these young ladies," 

 said Mrs. Corkran ; "I wish them no greater blessing 

 of Providence than a good husband, and I think I may say 

 that dear Carry will find one in my Joseph." 



The almost death-bed solemnity of this address paralysed 

 the conversation for a moment, and Miss Beattie concealed 

 her blushes by going to the window to see whose was the 

 vehicle that had just driven by. 



" Oh, it's Mr. Hawkins ! " she exclaimed, feeling the im- 

 portance of the information. 



Kathleen Baker sprang from her seat and ran to the 

 window. "So it is !" she cried, "and I bet you sixpence 

 he's going to Rosemount ! My goodness, I wish it was to- 

 day we had gone there I " 



