But I heerd as Master Don took some money."

"He did not, Jessie!" cried Kitty indignantly. "There isn't a word of
truth in it. My Cousin Lindon couldn't have done such a thing. It's
all a mistake, and I want to see him come in, poor boy, and tell him
that I don't believe it I'll whisper it to him just as he's going up to
bed, and it will make him happy, for I know he thinks I have gone
against him, and I only made believe that I did."

_Snurrrg_!

The sound was very gentle, and Kitty did not hear it, for she was
looking intently toward the door in the belief that she had heard Don's
footstep.

But it was only that of some passer on his way home, and Kitty went
on,--

"You mustn't talk about it, Jessie, for it is a great trouble, and aunt
is nearly heart-broken, and--"

_Snurg-urg_!

This time there was so loud and gurgling a sound that Kitty turned
sharply upon the maid, who, after emitting a painful snore, made her
young mistress the most polite of bows.

"Jessie! You're asleep."

_Snurrg_! And a bow.

"Oh, Jessie, you're asleep again. How can you be so tiresome?"

_Snurrg_! Gurgled Jessie again, and Kitty gave an impatient stamp of
her little foot.

"How can any one sleep at a time like this?" she half sobbed. "It's too
bad, that it is."

Jessie bowed to her politely, and her head went up and down as if it
were fixed at the end of a very easy moving spring, but when Kitty
reproached her the words had not the slightest effect, and a dull stupid
stare was given, of so irritating a nature that some people would have
felt disposed to awaken the sleeper by administering a sound slap upon
the hard round cheek.

One hour, two hours, three hours passed away, and still no Don; and at
last, unable to bear the company of the snoring woman longer, Kitty left
her and went into the drawing-room, where, kneeling down at the end of
the couch under the window, she remained watching the dark street,
waiting for him who did not come.

Kitty watched till the street began to look less dark and gloomy, and by
degrees the other side became so plain that she could make out the
bricks on the opposite walls.

Then they grew plainer and plainer, and there was a bright light in the
sky, for the sun was near to its rising.

Then they grew less plain, then quite indistinct, for Kitty was crying
bitterly, and she found herself wondering whether Don could have come in
and gone to bed.

A little thought told her tha