People would think hard of us."

"Then I don't want you to do it," she replied, in tones of resignation.

"We don't know any thing about the affairs at your house."

"I have told you the truth."

"We do not doubt that; but you only say that Mrs. Loraine is not kind to
you."

"She is not."

"Do you mean that she abuses you?"

"I do mean that," replied Kate, with some hesitation, which evinced an
unwillingness to acknowledge the fact.

"What has she done to you?"

"She locks me up in one of the attic rooms for weeks together," she
replied, bursting into tears.

"Don't cry, Kate; what does she lock you up for?" asked Bob, when I
paused.

"I suppose I am very naughty, sometimes, but I can't help it," sobbed
she.

"Then she locks you up to punish you for being naughty--does she?"

"Yes."

Bob looked significantly at me, as much as to say that he did not wish
to have anything to do with "rescuing" a young miss who had been shut up
for being naughty.

"If she would only be kind to me _sometimes_, I could bear it all. If
she only smiled on me even once a month, I think I should not complain.
But, O, it is so terrible to be locked into your chamber, and stay there
day after day for a whole week!" moaned she, with a convulsive quiver.

"When did she lock you up last?" continued Bob, who had taken the
investigation into his own hands, when Kate showed a willingness to
answer.

"About a week ago."

"A week ago? I thought you said she kept you in your room for a week?"

"So she does, and she only let me out this forenoon."

"What did she lock you up for last time?"

"For taking such long stitches hemming her handkerchief."

"For taking long stitches!" exclaimed Bob, with something like horror in
his tones. "Did she shut you up for a week for this?"

"She did; and she fastened the blinds of the chamber so that I could not
open them."

"Did you refuse to take short stitches?" I asked, fearing there might be
some aggravating circumstances.

"No, I did not, indeed. I hemmed the handkerchief just as I always did,
and I did not think the stitches were too coarse," she replied, wiping
away her tears with a wet handkerchief. "It was done just like this
one," she added, exhibiting it as a specimen of her work.

Neither Bob nor myself was sufficiently skilled in sewing craft to judge
of the quality of the work, but the stitches did not seem to be very
long. We compared the hemming with that on our own handk