ame at which we promised her she should earn her
living? I am sure you have, because I have so often thought about it
myself. And yet I never dared to speak out my fear, because that
seemed giving it a shape. And now Mr Bradshaw has put all to rights.
He invited Mr Jackson to dinner yesterday, just as we were going into
chapel; and then he turned to me and asked me if I would come to
tea--straight from afternoon chapel, because Mrs Bradshaw wanted
to speak to me. He made it very clear I was not to bring Ruth; and,
indeed, she was only too happy to stay at home with baby. And so I
went; and Mrs Bradshaw took me into her bedroom, and shut the doors,
and said Mr Bradshaw had told her, that he did not like Jemima being
so much confined with the younger ones while they were at their
lessons, and that he wanted some one above a nursemaid to sit with
them while their masters were there--some one who would see about
their learning their lessons, and who would walk out with them; a
sort of nursery governess, I think she meant, though she did not
say so; and Mr Bradshaw (for, of course, I saw his thoughts and
words constantly peeping out, though he had told her to speak to me)
believed that our Ruth would be the very person. Now, Thurstan, don't
look so surprised, as if she had never come into your head! I am sure
I saw what Mrs Bradshaw was driving at, long before she came to the
point; and I could scarcely keep from smiling, and saying, 'We'd jump
at the proposal'--long before I ought to have known anything about
it."

"Oh, I wonder what we ought to do!" said Mr Benson. "Or rather, I
believe I see what we ought to do, if I durst but do it."

"Why, what ought we to do?" asked his sister, in surprise.

"I ought to go and tell Mr Bradshaw the whole story--"

"And get Ruth turned out of our house," said Miss Benson,
indignantly.

"They can't make us do that," said her brother. "I do not think they
would try."

"Yes, Mr Bradshaw would try; and he would blazon out poor Ruth's
sin, and there would not be a chance for her left. I know him well,
Thurstan; and why should he be told now, more than a year ago?"

"A year ago he did not want to put her in a situation of trust about
his children."

"And you think she'll abuse that trust, do you? You've lived a
twelvemonth in the house with Ruth, and the end of it is, you think
she will do his children harm! Besides, who encouraged Jemima to come
to the house so much to see Ruth? Di