sation had been
unrolling and winding a great ball of worsted, now sat perfectly
still, holding the ball in her lap, and staring at her niece. She was
a quick-witted woman, and it no doubt occurred to her that the great
objection to living with an old lady, which her niece had expressed
so passionately, must have come from the trial of that sort of
life which she had had at the Cedars. And there was enough in Miss
Mackenzie's manner to justify Lady Ball in thinking that some such
expression of feeling as this had been intended by her. She had
never before heard Margaret speak out so freely, even in the days
of her undoubted heiress-ship; and now, though she greatly disliked
her niece, she could not avoid mingling something of respect and
something almost amounting to fear with her dislike. She did not
dare to go on unwinding her worsted, and giving the advantage of her
condescension to a young woman who spoke out at her in that way.

"I thought I was advising you for the best," she said, "and I hoped
that you would have been thankful."

"I don't know what may be for the best," said Margaret, again
bordering upon the hysterical in the tremulousness of her voice, "but
that I'm sure would be for the worst. However, I've made up my mind
to nothing as yet."

"No, my dear; of course not; but we all must think of it, you know."

Her cousin John had not thought of it, and she did not want any one
else to do so. She especially did not want her aunt to think of it.
But it was no doubt necessary that her aunt should consider how long
she would be required to provide a home for her impoverished niece,
and Margaret's mind at once applied itself to that view of the
subject. "I have made up my mind that I will go to London next week,
and then I must settle upon something."

"You mean when you go to Mr Slow's?"

"I mean that I shall go for good. I have a little money by me, which
John says I may use, and I shall take a lodging till--till--till--"
Then she could not go on any further.

"You can stay here, Margaret, if you please;--that is till something
more is settled about all this affair."

"I will go on Monday, aunt. I have made up my mind to that." It was
now Saturday. "I will go on Monday. It will be better for all parties
that I should be away." Then she got up, and waiting no further
speech from her aunt, took herself off to her own room.

She did not see her aunt again till dinner-time, and then neither of
them spok