o the tea and stove blackin'. I never thought
about blackin', who would? but I told them not to touch that tea, fer I
couldn't afford it. They'll be sorry, they will, when I git hold of
them.

"Here you, Billy Bruce!" she vociferously called, catching sight of that
youth running down the stairs three steps at a time; "come right back
here at fast as you can, and tell me what you know about Rosa and
grandpa. You're always under foot a-knowin' what's a-goin' on, so I
'spose if anybody seen them you did."

Billy feared Mrs. Gray more than he did the judge or policeman--that
is, at close range; but when occupying the vantage-ground, as at the
present, he delighted in revolt.

"I didn't either see them," he shouted back, "and don't know nothin'
about them, only I'd run off, too, if I wuz them."

At this the greatly abused and misunderstood woman picked up a piece of
coal to hurl at the rapidly retreating young rebel, when, to her
astonishment, she saw coming up the steps the transformed Rosa with
Esther!

"You'd better look out, Rosa," confidently explained Billy, "she's awful
mad, and you may git that lickin' yet, you said she'd been a-promisin'."

Rosa shrank in terror, her face growing pale and twitching nervously,
while an inclination to run away with her barbarous but devoted champion
took possession of her.

"Never mind, dear," whispered Esther reassuringly, "she will do you no
harm while I am with you. You need not be at all afraid."

Upon looking into the fearless blue eyes of Esther, Mrs. Gray suddenly
determined to change her plan of attack.

"Land sakes, Rosa! I've been that worried about you and father, the dear
old soul,--where is he? and where have you been, and where did you git
them pretty clothes? Why didn't you tell me you wanted to go on a visit,
and what made you stay so long? Of course it wuz awful lonesome here
without me, so I won't blame you much, but children'd ought to tell."

Not giving the child an opportunity to answer, a volley of
interrogations and information was turned upon Esther.

"What's your name? Esther Fairfax, is it? well, now that's a real pretty
name, but do come right in and set down. Things is in a muss, fer I've
been gone, and children don't amount to much fer work, 'specially when
they ain't been raised right. I ain't had her long, you know, or she'd
be different. Her ma wuz awful queer and silly about her. But where did
you find her? You wuz real thoughtful to bring