herself unable to rise. Mildred Vesper went to
Great Portland Street at the usual hour, and informed Miss Barfoot of
her companion's illness. A doctor was summoned; to him it seemed
probable that the girl was suffering from consequences of overstrain at
her old employment; there was nervous collapse, hysteria, general
disorder of the system. Had the patient any mental disquietude? Was
trouble of any kind (the doctor smiled) weighing upon her? Miss
Barfoot, unable to answer these questions, held private colloquy with
Mildred; but the latter, though she pondered a good deal with
corrugated brows, could furnish no information.

In a day or two Monica was removed to her sister's lodgings at Lavender
Hill. Mrs. Conisbee managed to put a room at her disposal, and Virginia
tended her. Thither Miss Barfoot went on the evening when Everard found
her away; she and Virginia, talking together after being with the
invalid for a quarter of an hour, agreed that there was considerable
improvement, but felt a like uneasiness regarding Monica's state of
mind.

'Do you think,' asked the visitor, 'that she regrets the step I
persuaded her to take?'

'Oh, I _can't_ think that! She has been so delighted with her progress
each time I have seen her. No, I feel sure it's only the results of
what she suffered at Walworth Road. In a very short time we shall have
her at work again, and brighter than ever.'

Miss Barfoot was not convinced. After Everard's departure that evening
she talked of the matter with Rhoda.

'I'm afraid,' said Miss Nunn, 'that Monica is rather a silly girl. She
doesn't know her own mind. If this kind of thing is repeated, we had
better send her back to the country.'

'To shop work again?'

'It might be better.'

'Oh, I don't like the thought of that.'

Rhoda had one of her fits of wrathful eloquence.

'Now could one have a better instance than this Madden family of the
crime that middle-class parents commit when they allow their girls to
go without rational training? Of course I know that Monica was only a
little child when they were left orphans; but her sisters had already
grown up into uselessness, and their example has been harmful to her
all along. Her guardians dealt with her absurdly; they made her half a
lady and half a shop-girl. I don't think she'll ever be good for much.
And the elder ones will go on just keeping themselves alive; you can
see that. They'll never start the school that there's so much