own from Saturday to Monday every week,
and perhaps oftener. If business goes well I may come down and stay
for some time. Whether I do or not may depend upon you."

Rebecca Taylforth started and uttered an exclamation of surprise.
"How can it depend upon me?" she asked eagerly.

"Well," said Ezra, in a hesitating way, "it may depend upon whether you
are a good girl, and do what you are told or not. I am sure that you
would do anything to serve me, would you not?"

"You know very well that I would, Mister Ezra. When you want anything
done you remember it, but if you have no use for me, then there is never
a kind look on your face or a kind word from your lips. If I was a dog
you could not use me worse. I could stand your harshness. I could
stand the blow you gave me, and forgive you for it, from my heart; but,
oh! it cut me to the very soul to be standing by and waiting while you
were making up to another woman. It was more than I can bear."

"Never mind, my girl," said Ezra in a soothing voice; "that's all over
and done with. See what I've brought you." He rummaged in his pocket
and produced a little parcel of tissue paper, which he handed to her.

It was only a small silver anchor, with Scotch pebbles inlaid in it.
The woman's eyes, however, flashed as she looked at it, and she raised
it to her lips and kissed it passionately.

"God bless it and you too!" she said. "I've heard tell as the anchor's
the emblem of hope, and so it shall be with me. Oh, Ezra, you may
travel far and meet them as can play and can sing and do many a thing as
I can't do, but you'll never get one who will love you as dearly and
well."

"I know it, my lass, I know it," said Ezra, smoothing down her dark
hair, for she had dropped upon her knees beside the couch. "I've never
met your equal yet. That's why I want you down at Bedsworth. I must
have some one there that I can trust.

"What am I to do down at Bedsworth?" she asked.

"I want you to be Miss Harston's companion. She'll be lonely, and will
need some other woman in the house to look after her."

"Curse her!" cried Rebecca, springing to her feet with flashing eyes.
"You are still thinking of her, then! She must have this; she must have
that! Everything else is as dirt before her. I'll not serve her--so
there! You can knock me down if you like."

"Rebecca," said Ezra slowly, "do you hate Kate Harston?"

"From the bottom of my soul," she answered.

"Well, if