.
He is not to be interfered with in any way."

"Yes, ma'am," said the bailiff respectfully.

"If he is so wonderful now, I don't know what he will be in a few
months. Now, you understand: John Grange is to continue in his work as
if nothing had happened, and--you here?"

For at that moment two hands busy tying up some loose strands of a
Bougainvillea dropped to their owner's side, and poor John Grange, who
had come up to the window unheard, uttered a low cry as he stood with
his head bent forward and hands half extended toward the speaker.

"Mrs Mostyn--dear mistress," he faltered, "Heaven bless you for those
words!"

"God tempers the wind to the shorn lamb, John Grange," she said softly,
as she laid her hand upon one of those extended toward her as if to
reach light in darkness; "should not His servants strive to follow that
which they are taught?"

The blank, bright eyes gazed wildly toward her, and then the head was
bowed down over the hand which was touched by two quivering lips, as
reverently as if it had been that of a queen.

Five minutes later James Ellis was on his way back to the gardens,
thinking it was time that Mary went away from home to begin life as a
governess, or as attendant to some invalid dame.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

James Ellis went straight to the gardens, and had no difficulty in
finding Daniel Barnett, whose voice he heard sounding loud, though
smothered, in the closely-shut orchid-house, where he was abusing one of
the under-gardeners.

"I don't care--I don't believe it," he cried angrily, as Ellis opened
the door slowly; and then came: "Hi! What idiot's that? Don't let all
the cold wind in out of the garden. I say that glossum and that
cattleya has been moved. Hi! Are you going to shut that door? Oh,
it's you, Mr Ellis. I thought it was one of the lads; they will not be
careful with those doors."

"Send him away," said the bailiff.

"You can go," said Barnett shortly, to the man, "and mind, I mean to
know who moved those orchids. It was done out of opposition. I changed
'em there, and that's where they're to stand."

"Well, I didn't move 'em," growled the man.

"Didn't move them, _sir_" cried Barnett; but at that moment the door was
closed with a bang. "I shall have to get rid of that fellow, Mr Ellis.
He don't like me being promoted, and he has been moving my orchids out
o' orkardness. Ha, ha! Not so very bad, that."

"He did not move them," said Ellis griml