right. "What am I to do?"

"There isn't anything to do," said Mr. Barrow, folding up his
eyeglasses and slipping them into his pocket. "Captain Crewe is dead.
The child is left a pauper. Nobody is responsible for her but you."

"I am not responsible for her, and I refuse to be made responsible!"

Miss Minchin became quite white with rage.

Mr. Barrow turned to go.

"I have nothing to do with that, madam," he said uninterestedly.
"Barrow & Skipworth are not responsible. Very sorry the thing has
happened, of course."

"If you think she is to be foisted off on me, you are greatly
mistaken," Miss Minchin gasped. "I have been robbed and cheated; I
will turn her into the street!"

If she had not been so furious, she would have been too discreet to say
quite so much. She saw herself burdened with an extravagantly
brought-up child whom she had always resented, and she lost all
self-control.

Mr. Barrow undisturbedly moved toward the door.

"I wouldn't do that, madam," he commented; "it wouldn't look well.
Unpleasant story to get about in connection with the establishment.
Pupil bundled out penniless and without friends."

He was a clever business man, and he knew what he was saying. He also
knew that Miss Minchin was a business woman, and would be shrewd enough
to see the truth. She could not afford to do a thing which would make
people speak of her as cruel and hard-hearted.

"Better keep her and make use of her," he added. "She's a clever
child, I believe. You can get a good deal out of her as she grows
older."

"I will get a good deal out of her before she grows older!" exclaimed
Miss Minchin.

"I am sure you will, ma'am," said Mr. Barrow, with a little sinister
smile. "I am sure you will. Good morning!"

He bowed himself out and closed the door, and it must be confessed that
Miss Minchin stood for a few moments and glared at it. What he had
said was quite true. She knew it. She had absolutely no redress. Her
show pupil had melted into nothingness, leaving only a friendless,
beggared little girl. Such money as she herself had advanced was lost
and could not be regained.

And as she stood there breathless under her sense of injury, there fell
upon her ears a burst of gay voices from her own sacred room, which had
actually been given up to the feast. She could at least stop this.

But as she started toward the door it was opened by Miss Amelia, who,
when she caught sight of the changed, ang