ad never too much superfluous
cash for dressmakers, with fashionable patterns and fashionable prices.
It had grown too dark to work, and they had turned to the fire for a
chat, before the tea came in, and the gas was lighted.

"I tell you, Amilly, it is of no use playing at concealment, or trying
to suppress the truth," Deborah was saying. "She is as surely going as
that the other two went; as sure as sure can be. I have always felt that
she would go. Mr. Lionel was talking to me only yesterday. He was not
satisfied with his brother; at least, he thought it as well to act as
though he were not satisfied with him; and he was about to ask Dr.
Hayes----"

Her voice died away. Master Cheese had come in with a doleful face.

"Miss Deb, I'm sent up to Deerham Hall. There's a bothering note come
from Miss Hautley to Jan, about one of the servants, and he says I am to
go up and see what it is."

"Well?" returned Miss Deb, wondering why Master Cheese should come in to
give the information to her. "You couldn't expect Mr. Jan to go up,
after being out all day, as he has."

"Folks are sure to go and fall ill at the most untoward hour of the
twenty-four," grumbled Master Cheese. "I was just looking for a good
tea. I feel as empty as possible, after my short dinner. I wish----"

"Short dinner!" echoed Miss Deb, in amazement; at least, it would have
been in amazement, but that she was accustomed to these little episodes
from the young gentleman. "We had a beautiful piece of roast beef; and
I'm sure you ate as much as you chose!"

"There was no pudding or pie," resentfully retorted Master Cheese. "I
have felt all the afternoon just as if I should sink; and I couldn't get
out to buy anything for myself, because Jan never came in, and the boy
stopped out. I wish, Miss Deb, you'd give me a thick piece of
bread-and-jam, as I have to go off without my tea."

"The fact is, Master Cheese, you have the jam so often, in one way or
another, that there's very little left. It will not last the season
out."

"The green gooseberries'll be coming on, Miss Deb," was Master Cheese's
insinuating reply. "And there's always apples, you know. With plenty of
lemon and a clove or two, apples make as good a pudding as anything
else."

Miss Deb, always good-natured, went to get him what he had asked for,
and Master Cheese took his seat in front of the fire, and toasted his
toes.

"There was a great mistake made when you were put to a surgeon," s