sulting message I could write on it, when I heard
the woman's voice again. "I think she has known
him since she were a babby," she was saying, "for
this here was a present he give her."

She was on her knees drawing the doll's house
from beneath the sofa, where it had been hidden
away; and immediately I thought, "I shall slip the
insulting message into this." But I did not, and I
shall tell you why. It was because the engaging
toy had been redecorated by loving hands; there
were fresh gowns for all the inhabitants, and the
paint on the furniture was scarcely dry. The little
doll's house was almost ready for further use.

I looked at the maid, but her face was expres-
sionless. "Put it back," I said, ashamed to have
surprised Mary's pretty secret, and I left the house
dejectedly, with a profound conviction that the
little nursery governess had hooked on to her
again.

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