cends to go to the woman's house!
She must know that everything she does is seen there <i>en noir</i>.
Pharisaical, narrow-minded Philistines!"

The letter acted as a tonic. Ashe was positively grateful to the "old
gorgon" who wrote it. He ran up-stairs, his pulses tingling in defence
of Kitty. He would show Lady Grosville that she could not write to him,
at any rate, in that strain, with impunity.

He took a candle from the landing, and opened his wife's door in order
to pass through her room to his own. As he did so, he ran against
Kitty's maid, Blanche, who was coming out. She shrank back as she saw
him, but not before the light of his candle had shone full upon her. Her
face was disfigured with tears, which were, indeed, still running down
her cheeks.

"Why, Blanche!" he said, standing still--then in the kind voice which
endeared him to the servants--"I am afraid your brother is worse?"

For the poor brother in hospital had passed through many vicissitudes
since his operation, and the little maid's spirits had fluctuated
accordingly.

"Oh no, sir--no, sir!" said Blanche, drying her eyes and retreating into
the shadows of the room, where only a faint flame of gas was burning.
"It's not that, sir, thank you. I was just putting away her ladyship's
things," she said, inconsequently, looking round the room.

"That was hardly what caused the tears, was it?" said Ashe, smiling. "Is
there anything in which Lady Kitty or I could help you?"

The girl, who had always seemed to him on excellent terms with Kitty,
gave a sudden sob.

"Thank you, sir; I've just given her ladyship warning."

"Indeed!" said Ashe, gravely. "I'm sorry for that. I thought you got on
here very well."

"I used to, sir, but this last few weeks there's nothing pleases her
ladyship; you can't do anything right. I'm sure I've worked my hands
off. But I can't do any more. Perhaps her ladyship will find some one
else to suit her better."

"Didn't her ladyship try to persuade you to stay?"

"Yes--but--I gave warning once before, and then I stayed. And it's no
good. It seems as if you must do wrong. And I don't sleep, sir. It gets
on your nerves so. But I didn't mean to complain. Good-night, sir."

"Good-night. Don't sit up for your mistress. You look tired out. I'll
help her."

"Thank you, sir," said the maid, in a depressed voice, and went.

* * * * *

Half an hour later, Ashe mounted the staircase of a well-k