t it provoking, Barbara?" said the invalid, without moving in the
least. "Whatever shall you do?"

"As best we can, I suppose. I've to turn cook and housemaid and
parlour-maid, now. Scullery-maid too. I suppose I shall clean the steps
to-morrow morning."

"Oh, but you must go to the registry-office the very first thing. Don't
upset yourself about it. If you can just manage to get that lady's
dinner."

"It's all very well for you to talk! How would _you_ like to _wait_ on
people, like a girl in a restaurant?"

"Ah, if only I could!" replied Madeline, with a little laugh that was
heart-breaking. "If only I could!"

In a month it would be two years since Madeline stood and walked like
other people; live as long as she might, she would never rise from her
bed. It came about in this way. Whilst the Denyers were living in the
second-class hotel at Southampton, and when Mr. Denyer had been gone to
Vera Cruz some five months, a little ramble was taken one day in a part
of the New Forest. Madeline was in particularly good spirits; she had
succeeded in getting an engagement to teach some children, and her work
was to begin the next day. In a frolic she set herself to jump over a
fallen tree; her feet slipped on the dry grass beyond, and she fell
with her back upon the trunk.

This was pleasant news to send to her father! With him things were
going as well as he had anticipated, and before long he was able to
make substantial remittances, but his letters were profoundly sad. In a
year's time, the family quitted Southampton and took the house at
Hampstead; with much expense and difficulty Madeline was removed. Mrs.
Denyer and Barbara were weary of provincial life, and considered
nothing in their resolve to be within reach of London amusements.
Zillah was living as governess with a family in Yorkshire.

They had been settled at Hampstead three weeks, when information
reached them that Mr. Denyer was dead of yellow fever.

On the day when this news came, the house received no less important a
visitor than Mr. Musselwhite. Long ago, Mrs. Denyer had written to him
from Southampton, addressing her letter to the club in London of which
he had spoken; she had received a prompt reply, dated from rooms in
London, and thenceforth the correspondence was established. But Mr.
Musselwhite never spoke of coming to Southampton; his letters ended
with "Sincere regards to Miss Denyer and the other young ladies," but
they contained nothing