he
came in to see me the other day?'

Cytherea's mother-wit suddenly warned her in the midst of her excitement
that it was necessary not to betray the secret of her love. 'O yes,'
she said, 'of course.' Her thoughts had run as follows in that short
interval:--

'Farmer Springrove is Edward's father, and his name is Edward too.

'Edward knew I was going to advertise for a situation of some kind.

'He watched the Times, and saw it, my address being attached.

'He thought it would be excellent for me to be here that we might meet
whenever he came home.

'He told his father that I might be recommended as a lady's-maid; and he
knew my brother and myself.

'His father told Mrs. Morris; Mrs. Morris told Miss Aldclyffe.'

The whole chain of incidents that drew her there was plain, and there
was no such thing as chance in the matter. It was all Edward's doing.

The sound of a bell was heard. Cytherea did not heed it, and still
continued in her reverie.

'That's Miss Aldclyffe's bell,' said Mrs. Morris.

'I suppose it is,' said the young woman placidly.

'Well, it means that you must go up to her,' the matron continued, in a
tone of surprise.

Cytherea felt a burning heat come over her, mingled with a sudden
irritation at Mrs. Morris's hint. But the good sense which had
recognized stern necessity prevailed over rebellious independence; the
flush passed, and she said hastily--

'Yes, yes; of course, I must go to her when she pulls the bell--whether
I want to or no.'

However, in spite of this painful reminder of her new position in life,
Cytherea left the apartment in a mood far different from the gloomy
sadness of ten minutes previous. The place felt like home to her
now; she did not mind the pettiness of her occupation, because Edward
evidently did not mind it; and this was Edward's own spot. She found
time on her way to Miss Aldclyffe's dressing-room to hurriedly glide out
by a side door, and look for a moment at the unconscious sheep bearing
the friendly initials. She went up to them to try to touch one of the
flock, and felt vexed that they all stared sceptically at her kind
advances, and then ran pell-mell down the hill. Then, fearing any one
should discover her childish movements, she slipped indoors again,
and ascended the staircase, catching glimpses, as she passed, of
silver-buttoned footmen, who flashed about the passages like lightning.

Miss Aldclyffe's dressing-room was an apartment which, on a c