silence at last. "I wonder where Carmina is?" she said.

"In her room, most likely," the parlour-maid suggested.

"Had I better go and see after her?"

The cautious parlour-maid declined to offer advice. Maria's
well-balanced mind was so completely unhinged, that she looked with
languid curiosity at her sister. Zo still stared at the ceiling, and
still rolled slowly from one side to the other. The dog on her breast,
lulled by the regular motion, slept profoundly--not even troubled by a
dream of fleas!

While Maria was still considering what it might be best to do, Carmina
entered the room. She looked, as the servant afterwards described it,
"like a person who had lost her way." Maria exhibited the feeling of the
schoolroom, by raising her handkerchief in solemn silence to her eyes.
Without taking notice of this demonstration, Carmina approached the
parlour-maid, and said, "Did you see Miss Minerva before she went away?"

"I took her message, Miss."

"What message?"

"The message, saying she wished to see my mistress for a few minutes."

"Well?"

"Well, Miss, I was told to show the governess into the library. She went
down with her bonnet on, ready dressed to go out. Before she had
been five minutes with my mistress she came out again, and rang the
hall-bell, and spoke to Joseph. 'My boxes are packed and directed,' she
says; 'I will send for them in an hour's time. Good day, Joseph.' And
she stepped into the street, as quietly as if she was going out shopping
round the corner."

"Have the boxes been sent for?"

"Yes, Miss."

Carmina lifted her head, and spoke in steadier tones.

"Where have they been taken to?"

"To the flower-shop at the back--to be kept till called for."

"No other address?"

"None."

The last faint hope of tracing Frances was at an end. Carmina turned
wearily to leave the room. Zo called to her from the hearth-rug. Always
kind to the child, she retraced her steps. "What is it?" she asked.

Zo got on her legs before she spoke, like a member of parliament. "I've
been thinking about that governess," she announced. "Didn't I once tell
you I was going to run away? And wasn't it because of Her? Hush! Here's
the part of it I can't make out--She's run away from Me. I don't bear
malice; I'm only glad in myself. No more dirty nails. No more bread and
water for tea. That's all. Good morning." Zo laid herself down again on
the rug; and the dog laid himself down again on Zo.

Carmina retu