you sorry?' he asked dryly. 'I thought you didn't care if I lost
every penny of my money. That's what you always say. Are you sure you're
not sorry that your friends are going to get into trouble, eh? I suppose
you didn't know anything about it beforehand? Because, you know, I
sha'n't make any exceptions. Those that burn my property shall pay for
it.'

'Father,' cried Sarah indignantly, 'how can you think such a dreadful
thing of me? If that's what you think, I'm sorry I came to you at all;'
and she turned to go.

'Stop a minute, my lass,' said her father. 'I'd like to get to the bottom
of this. Why did you come?'

'I came to tell you I am sorry for your loss,' said Sarah half-sullenly.

'You are sure you didn't come to beg these people off their punishment?'
persisted Mr Clay.

'Yes, I am quite sure of that. I should never waste my time asking you to
show mercy to any one,' cried Sarah, her eyes flashing.

Mark Clay looked at his daughter with an angry light in his eyes. 'I'm
glad you've got so much sense, my lass,' he said coldly, and went on with
his writing.

Sarah hesitated a minute. She was sorry for the words the moment they
were out of her mouth. It was a miserable end to her attempt at making
friends with her father; but her father's head was bent over his
writing, and his face had on the stubborn look she knew so well, so she
reluctantly turned away, and went back to her own room.

'He means mischief,' she said as she leant her chin on her hands. 'He's
more dangerous when he is quiet like that than when he blusters.'

How long she sat Sarah did not know, until she was startled by hearing
the dinner-gong clanging through the house. She gave a violent start, and
looked round to see if Naomi had put out her dress for dinner, and saw,
to her surprise, not only that she had not done so, but that it was the
dinner-hour, so that either dinner must be late--an unheard-of thing in
that house--or she had not heard the dressing-bell, and this must be the
dinner-gong.

'But where is Naomi, and why was my dress not put out for me?' Sarah
asked herself, and in answer to her unspoken question Naomi appeared.

'Oh Miss Sarah, I'm so sorry; I've fair forgot everything to-day, with
all the upset! Oh miss, do let me dress you quick!' she cried, in great
distress.

'It's the dinner-gong, then?' inquired Sarah.

'Yes, miss; there hasn't been any other. Sykes he forgot to ring the
dressing-bell; the first time in h