r and thin daughter took their leave; but the large
carriage, with its sumptuous grey trappings, had not reached the crest
of the hill when, swiftly unlocking her door, Olive rushed to Barnes for
sympathy.

'Oh the spiteful little cat!' she exclaimed. 'I know why she said that;
she's jealous of me. You heard her say she hadn't a lover. I don't
believe she saw Edward at all, but she wanted to annoy me. Don't you
think so, Barnes?'

'I'm sure she wanted to annoy you, miss. I could see it in her eyes. She
has dreadful eyes--those cold, grey, glittering things. I could never
trust them. And she hasn't a bit on her bones. I don't know if you
noticed, miss, that when you were counting your petticoats she was
ashamed of her legs? There isn't a bit on them; and I saw her look at
yours, miss.'

'Did you really? She's like a rail; and as spiteful as she's lean. At
school nothing made her so angry as when anyone else was praised; and
you may be sure that jealousy brought her here. She heard how Captain
Hibbert admired me, and so came on purpose to annoy me.'

'You may be sure it was that, miss,' said Barnes, as she bustled about,
shutting and opening a variety of cardboard boxes.

For a moment the quarrel looked as if it were going to end here; but in
Olive's brain thoughts leaped as quickly back as forward, and she
startled Barnes by declaring wildly that, if Edward had broken his
promise to her, she would never speak to him again.

'I don't believe that Violet would have dared to say that she saw him if
it weren't true.'

'Well, miss, a shooting-party's but a shooting-party, and there was a
temptation, you know. A gentleman who is fond of sport--'

'Yes; but it isn't for the shooting he is gone. 'Tis for Mrs. Lawler. I
know it is.'

'Not it, miss. Always admitting that he is there, how could he think of
Mrs. Lawler when he's always thinking of you? And, besides, out in the
snow, too. Now, I wouldn't say anything if the weather was fine--like we
had last June--and they giving each other meetings out in the park--'

'But what did you tell me about the steward, and how Mrs. Lawler fell in
love with all the young men who come to her house? And what did the
housemaid tell you of the walking about the passages at night and into
each other's rooms? Oh, I must know if he's there!'

'I'll find out in the morning, miss. The coachman is sure to know who
was at the shooting-party.'

'In the morning! It will be too late then!