e was an odd figure to be
seen in a country place; and Janetta wondered greatly whence she came,
and what her errand was at the Red House.

"Can I do anything for you?" she asked.

"This is the Red House, I suppose?" the woman asked, hoarsely.

"Yes, it is."

"Wyvis Brand's house?"

Janetta hesitated in surprise, and then said, "Yes," in a rather distant
tone.

"Who are _you_?" said the woman, looking at her sharply.

"I am governess to Mr. Brand's little boy."

"Oh, indeed. And he's at home, I suppose?"

"No," said Janetta, gravely, "he has been away for more than a year, and
is now, I believe, on his way to America."

"You lie!" said the woman, furiously; "and you know that you lie!"

Janetta recoiled a step. Was this person mad?

"He is at home, and you want to keep me out," the woman went on, wildly.
"You don't want me to set foot in the place, or to see my child again!
He is at home, and I'll see him if I have to trample on your body
first."

"Nobody wants to keep you out," said Janetta, forcing herself to speak
and look calmly, but tingling with anger from head to foot. "But I
assure you Mr. Brand is away from home. His mother lives here; she is
not very strong, and ought not to be disturbed. If you will give me your
name----"

"My name?" repeated the other in a tone of mockery. "Oh yes, I'll give
you my name. I don't see why I should hide it; do you? I've been away a
good long time; but I mean to have my rights now. My name is Mrs. Wyvis
Brand: what do you think of that, young lady?"

She drew herself up as she spoke, looking gaunt and defiant. Her eyes
flamed and her cheeks grew hotter and deeper in tint until they were
poppy-red. She showed her teeth--short, square, white teeth--as if she
wanted to snarl like an angry dog. But Janetta, after the first moment
of repulsion and astonishment, was not dismayed.

"I did not know," she said, gravely, "that you had any right to call
yourself by that name. I thought that you were divorced from Mr. Wyvis
Brand."

"Separated for incompatibility of temper; that was all," said Mrs. Brand
coolly. "I told him I'd got a divorce, but it wasn't true. I wanted to
be free from him--that's the truth. I didn't mean him to marry again. I
heard that he was going to be married--is that so! Perhaps he was going
to marry _you_?"

"No," Janetta answered, very coldly.

"I'm not going to put up with it if he is," was her visitor's sullen
reply. "I've borne enough f