d prefer to be warned of the coming of my master. I will see
to that in future. Such little ceremonies do have their uses."

"Shall I go down and make her say that I am here, and then come up
again?"

"It shall not be necessary, but you take a chair and begin!" Then Mr.
Moss considered how he had better do so. He knew well that the girl
would not answer kindly to such a question as he was desirous of
asking. And it might be that she would be very uncivil. He was by no
means a coward, but he had a vivid recollection of the gleam of her
dagger. He smiled, and she looked at him more suspiciously because of
his smile. He was sitting on a sofa opposite to her as she sat on a
music-stool which she had turned round, so as to face him, and he
fancied that he could see her right hand hide itself among the folds
of her dress. "Is it about the theatre?"

"Well, it is;--and yet it isn't."

"I wish it were something about the theatre. It always seems to come
more natural between you and me."

"I want you to tell me what you did at last about Lord Castlewell's
money."

"Why am I to tell you what I did?"

"For friendship."

"I do not feel any."

"That's an uncivil word to say, mademoiselle."

"But it's true. You have no business to ask me about the lord's
money, and I won't be questioned."

"It will be so deleterious to you if you accept it."

"I can take care of myself," she said, jumping off the chair. "I
shall have left this place now in another month, and shall utterly
disregard the words which anyone at your theatre may say of me. I
shall not tell you whether the lord has lent me money or not."

"I know he has."

"Very well. Then leave the room. Knowing as you do that I am living
here with my own father, your interference is grossly impertinent."

"Your father is not going with you, I am afraid." She rushed at the
bell and pulled it till the bell rope came down from the wire, but
nobody answered the bell. "Can it be possible that you should not be
anxious to begin your new career under respectable auspices?"

"I will not stand this. Leave the room, sir. This apartment is my
own."

"Miss O'Mahony, you see my hand; with this I am ready to offer at
once to place you in a position in which the world would look up to
you."

"You have done so before, Mr. Moss, and your doing so again is an
insult. It would not be done to any young lady unless she were on the
stage, and were thought on that account to be open to