m the south country, and Martin Holt had called his
sister down to his business parlour to open and read the missive.

He now looked up from his books with a pardonable curiosity to say:

"Well, sister Susan, letters do not trouble thee oft. And what may
be the news in this one? and from whom comes it?"

"From Prudence Dyson."

"Prudence at the Cross Way House? And what says she? it is long
since we had news of her."

"So long that I had almost forgot where she was: and I marvel she
should trouble us thus. Thy daughters are not serving wenches,
Martin. What can Prudence be thinking of?"

Martin smiled slightly. It seemed to him that beneath his sister's
iron rule his daughters did little but toil after the fashion of
serving wenches from morning to night. As for Susan herself, she
worked harder than any servant she had ever had beneath her sway.

"What says the letter?" he asked briefly; "what is the matter that
angers thee?"

"I am not angry," answered Susan sharply. "I trust I know my duty
better as a Christian than to be angered over trifles. I am but
surprised at such a request. Prudence Dyson asks if I can spare one
of my nieces and thy daughters to dwell for a while at Cross Way
House, to help her with her duties there."

Martin Holt did not appear to see anything very unreasonable or
extraordinary in that request.

"What has caused her to wish it?" he asked quietly. "Is she in any
way ill or disabled?"

"It is not that; it is that there be two young ladies of gentle
birth dwelling now beneath Lady Humbert's care. Prudence desires to
give them all due tendance and service; but as thou knowest,
Martin, the household purse there is not deep, and Prudence strives
might and main to do all she can to save her kind mistress from
needless cost. She is striving now to attend herself upon all four
ladies; and she says that the young maidens are very kindly and
gentle and helpful. But she likes not to see them wait upon
themselves, and she knows that my Lady Humbert would wish them to
have all needful service. Wherefore she asks if thou couldst spare
a daughter to go thither for a while to help her by waiting on the
young damsels. And I--"

"Well, and wherefore not?" said Martin, stroking his chin
thoughtfully. "Prudence is a good woman, and my dead wife loved her
best of all her family. I know that Lady Humbert is a woman into
whose house any father might trust his daughter without a fear. As
for the quest