of injustice.

She knew how it would be. Scandal would track her down--put a price on
her head; these people who had given her a home would hear, and what
would all her months of faithful service avail?

"Is this true?" she already heard the Squire say in imagination, and
she should have to answer: "Yes"--and there would be the open door and
the finger pointing to her to go.

She heard the Squire's familiar step on the stair; unconsciously, she
crouched lower; had he come to tell her to go?

But the Squire came in whistling, a picture of homely contentment,
hands in pocket, smiling jovially. She knew there must be no telltale
tears on her cheeks, even if her heart was crying out in the cold and
snow. She knew the bitterness of being denied the comfort of tears.
It was but one of the hideous train of horrors that pursued a woman in
her position.

She forced them back and met the Squire with a smile that was all the
sweeter for the effort.

"Here's your chair, Squire, all ready waiting for you, and the only
thing you want to make you perfectly happy--is--guess?" She held out
his old corncob pipe, filled to perfection.

"I declare, Anna, you are just spoiling me, and some day you'll be
going off and getting married to some of these young fellows 'round
here, and where will I be then?"

"You need have no fears on that score," she said, struggling to
maintain a smile.

"Well, well, that's what girls always say, but I don't know what we'll
do without you. How long have you been with us, now?"

"Let me see," counting on her fingers: "just six months."

"So it is, my dear. Well, I hope it will be six years before you think
of leaving us. And, Anna, while we are talking, I like to say to you
that I have felt pretty mean more than once about the way I treated you
that first day you come."

"Pray, do not mention it, Squire. Your kindness since has quite made
me forget that you hesitated to take an utter stranger into your
household."

"That was it, my dear--an utter stranger--and you cannot really blame
me; here was Looizy and Kate and I was asked to take into the house
with them a young woman whom I had never set eyes on before; it seemed
to me a trifle risky, but you've proved that I was wrong, my dear, and
I'll admit it."

The girl dropped the stocking she was mending; her trembling hand
refused to support even the pretense of work. Outside the snow was
falling just as it was falling, perhaps, on the