isted, "that I should
go."

"The law has fortunately made provision against such behavior," said
Hesper. "You can not leave without giving me a month's notice."

"The understanding on which I came to you was very different," said
Mary, sadly.

"It was; but, since then, you consented to become my maid."

"It is ungenerous to take advantage of that," returned Mary, growing
angry again.

"I have to protect myself and the world in general from the
consequences that must follow were such lawless behavior allowed to
pass."

Hesper spoke with calm severity, and Mary, making up her mind, answered
now with almost equal calmness.

"The law was made for both sides, ma'am; and, as you bring the law to
me, I will take refuge in the law. It is, I believe, a month's warning
or a month's wages; and, as I have never had any wages, I imagine I am
at liberty to go. Good-by, ma'am."

Hesper made her no answer, and Mary left the room. She went to her own,
stuffed her immediate necessities into a bag, let herself out of the
house, called a cab, and, with a great lump in her throat, drove to the
help of Letty.

First she had a talk with the landlady, and learned all she could tell.
Then she went up, and began to make things as comfortable as she could:
all was in sad disorder and neglect.

With the mere inauguration of cleanliness, and the first dawn of coming
order, the courage of Letty began to revive a little. The impossibility
of doing all that ought to be done, had, in her miserable weakness, so
depressed her that she had not done even as much as she could--except
where Tom was immediately concerned: there she had not failed of her
utmost.

Mary next went to the doctor to get instructions, and then to buy what
things were most wanted. And now she almost wished Mrs. Redmain had
paid her for her services, for she must write to Mr. Turnbull for
money, and that she disliked. But by the very next post she received,
inclosed in a business memorandum in George's writing, the check for
fifty pounds she had requested.

She did not dare write to Tom's mother, because she was certain, were
she to come up, her presence would only add to the misery, and take
away half the probability of his recovery and of Letty's, too. In the
case of both, nourishment was the main thing; and to the fit providing
and the administering of it she bent her energy.

For a day or two, she felt at times as if she could hardly get through
what she had und