d herself to the active duties of the hour
with a mind at ease, and, while packing her trunks, inadvertently stowed
away such little stray articles as might not be immediately missed, and
might serve hereafter to recall thoughts of "poor dear Miss Dalton," for
so she now preferred to name her.

"Those little box figures, Martha, don't forget them. They of course
don't belong to the house; and Scroope suspects that the bracket for the
hall lamp must have been her carving also."

"I 've p-put away two pencil drawings marked 'N. D.,' and a little
sketch in oil of the Alten Schloss; and I 've my pockets stuffed with
the tulip roots."

"Well thought of, Scroope; and there's a beautiful paper-knife,--poor
thing, she's not likely to want it now. What a sad bereavement! And are
his affairs really so bad?"

"Ov-over head and ears in debt There ain't enough to bury him if the
dwarf does not shell out,--but he will. They say he's in love with
Nelly,--he, he, he!"

"Shocking, quite shocking. Yes, Martha, that telescope is a very good
one. What improvidence, what culpable improvidence!"

"And is she quite friendless?" asked Martha, feelingly.

"Not while she has _our_ protection," said Mrs. Rickett", grandly. "I
've determined 'to take her up.'"

Martha reddened slightly at the phrase, for she knew of some others who
had been so "taken up," and with what small profit to their prosperity.

"Her talents, when aided by _our_ patronage, will always support her,"
said Mrs. Ricketts; "and I mean, when the shock of this calamity
is past, to employ her on a little group for a centrepiece for our
dinner-table. She will, of course, be charmed to have her genius
displayed to such advantage. It will afford us a suitable opportunity of
introducing her name."

"And we shall have the piece of carving for nothing," said Martha, who
innocently believed that she was supplying another argument of equal
delicacy and force.

"You 're an idiot!" said Mrs. Ricketts, angrily; "and I begin to fear
you will never be anything else."

"I 'm quite sure I shall not," muttered the other, with a faint
submissiveness, and continued the task of packing the trunks.

"Take care that you find out her sister's address, Martha. I 'm sadly
in want of some furs; that tippet, I suppose, is only fit for _you_ now,
and my sable muff is like a dog in the mange. The opportunity is a most
favorable one; for when the Princess, as they persist in calling her,
know