a suggestion of the Earl's, upon which she had at once
acted, and which seemed, even as she laid pen to paper, to bring her
somewhat nearer to her brother.

Her letter arrived at No. 5, on the next Monday morning at
breakfast-time. It did not at first attract the attention of James.
The Sunday exertions had again left a mental and physical lassitude,
showing how much care and privation had told upon his strength; and
Isabel's still tardy convalescence weighed him down with anxiety for
the future, and almost with despair, as he thought of the comforts for
want of which she suffered, though so patiently and silently dispensing
with them. To his further vexation, he had, on the previous Saturday,
seen Charlotte receiving at the back-door an amount of meat beyond her
orders; and, having checked himself because too angry and too much
grieved to speak at once, had reserved the reproof for the Monday, when
Charlotte brought in her book of petty disbursements.

Failing to detect the obnoxious item, he said, 'Where's the account of
the meat that came in on Saturday?'

'There, sir!' said Charlotte, indicating the legitimate amount, but
blushing violently.

'That was not all?' he said, with a look of stern, interrogation.

'Oh! if you please, sir, that was nothing!'

'This will not do, Charlotte! I can have nothing taken into my house
without being paid for. I insist on knowing what you could mean?'

'Oh, sir!' tearfully exclaimed the girl, 'it is paid for--I'll show you
the account, if you will--with my own money. I'd not have had you hear
of it for the world; but I could not bear that nurse's insinuations
about her meat five times a-day--she that never nursed nothing like a
real lady before! But I meant no harm, sir; and I hope you'll excuse
the liberty, for I did not mean to take none; and I'm sure I'm quite
contented for my own part, nor never meant to complain.'

'I know you did not, Charlotte! You are only too patient and kind--'
But his voice broke down, and he was forced silently to sign to her to
leave him.

'Can humiliation go farther!' he thought. 'My boasted independence
ending in this poor, faithful servant being stung, by the sneers of
this hired woman, into eking out her scanty meals with her own
insufficient wages!'

Little Catharine, who had been gazing with dilated black eyes, came
scrambling on his knee to caress him, perceiving that he was grieved.

'Ah! Kitty, Kitty!' he said, 'it is wel