ll, rank flowers, she crept inside,
and then, sinking on to the seat in the dimmest, darkest corner, gave
herself up to the fit of depression which had been stealing on her ever
since her own rash avowal to Lady Martin.

Suddenly she sat upright. Even here, it seemed, she was not to be free
from interruption. She heard voices approaching, as though others were
seeking her hiding-place; and pushing aside one of the rotting wooden
shutters she peeped cautiously out.

Fate was against her to-day. In the two persons who were drawing near,
evidently with the intention of seating themselves upon the bench
outside the hut, she recognized Lady Martin and Mrs. Madgwick; and
instantly Toni felt a quick foreboding of evil.

Something seemed to tell her that it was she whom they were discussing
so earnestly as they walked; and Toni shrank back into the gloom,
totally incapable of facing them in her tear-stained and generally
dishevelled condition.

She breathed a prayer that they would not attempt to enter the
summer-house--a prayer which was answered, for the two ladies seated
themselves on the bench outside, which was first wiped scrupulously
clean by a large and substantial handkerchief wielded by the Vicar's
wife.

Her escape thus cut off, Toni had no choice but to remain silently
within. She supposed, forlornly, that she ought to make her presence
known; but she felt it almost impossible to stir; and the first words
she heard kept her chained to her seat.

"A sad pity," Mrs. Madgwick was remarking in her unctuous voice. "I
always felt there was something just a little--well, what shall I call
it?--second-rate about the girl. Mr. Rose being a gentleman in every
sense of the word makes the whole thing so much worse."

"It does." Lady Martin's thin lips tightened. "I too knew from the first
that the young woman was not a lady--why, on the occasion of my
welcoming call I found her entertaining this very cousin to a repast of
tea and shrimps--or was it periwinkles? Something vulgar, anyway, and I
am nearly sure I saw a plate of watercresses as well."

"Dear me," said the vicar's wife acidly. "What class does the girl
spring from? I always thought it was only servants or shop-girls who ate
things of that sort--with vinegar--for tea!"

"Well, we have Mrs. Rose's own word for it that her cousin is assistant
in a shop." Lady Martin laughed disagreeably. "I have no doubt Mrs. Rose
was employed in the same manner before her ma