ink that she is entitled to all the kindness we can
show her."

"I have been kind to her," Lady Ball answered.

This had taken place in Lady Ball's own room, after they had left Sir
John. The tidings had taken the old man so much by surprise, that he
had said little or nothing. Even his caustic ill-nature had deserted
him, except on one occasion, when he remarked that it was like his
brother Jonathan to do as much harm with his money as was within his
reach.

"My memory in such a matter is worth nothing,--absolutely nothing,"
the old man had said. "I always supposed something was wrong. I
remember that. But I left it all to the lawyers."

In Lady Ball's room the conversation was prolonged to a late hour of
the night, and took various twists and turns, as such conversations
will do.

"What are we to do about the young woman?" That was Lady Ball's main
question, arising, no doubt, from the reflection that the world would
lean very heavily on them if they absolutely turned her out to starve
in the streets.

John Ball made no proposition in answer to this, having not as yet
made up his mind as to what his own wishes were with reference to the
young woman. Then his mother made her proposition.

"Of course that money due by the Rubbs must be paid. Let her take
that." But her son made no reply to this other than that he feared
the Rubbs were not in a condition to pay the money.

"They would pay her the interest at any rate," said Lady Ball, "till
she had got into some other way of life. She would do admirably for a
companion to an old lady, because her manners are good, and she does
not want much waiting upon herself."

On the next morning Miss Mackenzie trembled in her shoes as she came
down to breakfast. Her uncle, whom she feared the most, would not be
there; but the meeting with her aunt, when her aunt would know that
she was a pauper and that she had for the last week been an impostor,
was terrible to her by anticipation. But she had not calculated that
her aunt's triumph in this newly-acquired wealth for the Ball family
would, for the present, cover any other feeling that might exist. Her
aunt met her with a gracious smile, was very urbane in selecting a
chair for her at prayers close to her own, and pressed upon her a
piece of buttered toast out of a little dish that was always prepared
for her ladyship's own consumption. After breakfast John Ball again
went to town. He went daily to town during the present