peaking to you because,
as I say, you are under my roof and I did not wish to hurt your
feelings--though I am sure you have had very little regard for ours. I
have been greatly deceived in you, Ida. I thought when you came that
you were a quiet, well-conducted young woman, and I could scarcely
believe my eyes when I first saw that I was mistaken, and that your
quietness was only slyness. I suppose you didn't think I saw that you
were trying to entrap my poor boy; but a mother's eyes are sharp, and a
mother will protect her own at any cost. Oh, you needn't try to stare
me out of countenance, or to put on that surprised and innocent look.
You may have been able to deceive me once, but you can't now. I've been
watching you, and I've seen with my own eyes your carryings on."

"Mrs. Heron--" began Ida, very quietly; but Mrs. Heron tore on with
breathless vehemence.

"I suppose you only did it for your amusement; I don't suppose you
thought there would be any good in it, that his father or I would allow
Joseph to make such a _fool_ of himself as to throw himself away upon a
girl without any means; but it's all the more shameful. You succeeded
very well; you've turned the poor boy's head and made him miserable.
It's to be hoped that it will stop there, and that he won't be driven
to drink or desperate courses, as some young men are. Of course you'll
say that you never meant anything of the kind. I'm quite prepared for
that--you can be plausible enough when you like; with that quiet,
cat-like manner of yours."

Ida had passed beyond the laughing stage by this time; her face was
pale, her eyes flashing; but she was able to say, with an appearance of
calm:

"You are quite right, Mrs. Heron; I have no hesitation in saying that I
did not wish your son to pay me any attention, much less--Oh, do you
not see how ridiculous it is?" she broke out, indignantly, and with a
little desperate laugh. Mrs. Heron's face flamed. "I don't know what
you mean by ridiculous," she snapped. "I should say Joseph was quite
good enough a match for you; and I've no doubt you think so, though you
pretend to sneer at him."

"Let me assure you, Mrs. Heron, that I have never thought of your son
as a possible husband," said Ida. "His attentions to me are more than
unwelcome--and he knows it."

"Oh! then you admit that the poor boy is in love with you, that he has
told you? You see, you can't deceive me; I knew it. I wonder you aren't
ashamed of yoursel