girl softly. "Sure ye did. But oh! how did I think it, miss?
'Tis the second time she served me so."

"How long was it this time, Danny?"

"Six months, miss. She said I was a drunkard, and beat her. Beat her,
God help me!" stretching forth two trembling hands. "And they believed
her, o' course. Now, when I kem back, there's me little place all
thrampled by the boys, and she's away wid a ship's captain, saving your
presence, miss, dhrinking in the 'George the Fourth'. O my, but it's
hard on an old man!" and he fell to sobbing again.

The girl sighed. "I can do nothing for you, Danny. I dare say you can
work about the garden as you did before. I'll speak to the Major when he
comes home."

Danny, lifting his bleared eyes to thank her, caught sight of Mr.
Meekin, and saluted abruptly. Miss Vickers turned, and Mr. Meekin,
bowing his apologies, became conscious that the young lady was about
seventeen years of age, that her eyes were large and soft, her hair
plentiful and bright, and that the hand which held the little book she
had been reading was white and small.

"Miss Vickers, I think. My name is Meekin--the Reverend Arthur Meekin."

"How do you do, Mr. Meekin?" said Sylvia, putting out one of her small
hands, and looking straight at him. "Papa will be in directly."

"His daughter more than compensates for his absence, my dear Miss
Vickers."

"I don't like flattery, Mr. Meekin, so don't use it. At least,"
she added, with a delicious frankness, that seemed born of her very
brightness and beauty, "not that sort of flattery. Young girls do like
flattery, of course. Don't you think so?"

This rapid attack quite disconcerted Mr. Meekin, and he could only bow
and smile at the self-possessed young lady. "Go into the kitchen, Danny,
and tell them to give you some tobacco. Say I sent you. Mr. Meekin,
won't you come in?"

"A strange old gentleman, that, Miss Vickers. A faithful retainer, I
presume?"

"An old convict servant of ours," said Sylvia. "He was with papa many
years ago. He has got into trouble lately, though, poor old man."

"Into trouble?" asked Mr. Meekin, as Sylvia took off her hat.

"On the roads, you know. That's what they call it here. He married a
free woman much younger than himself, and she makes him drink, and then
gives him in charge for insubordination."

"For insubordination! Pardon me, my dear young lady, did I understand
you rightly?"

"Yes, insubordination. He is her assigned servant, you