"What depends upon me shall surely not be left undone," he replied; and, returning to the parlour, "Ladies," he said, "this person whom we have brought over, begs to speak with one of you alone."

"Alone!' repeated Mrs. Maple, "How shocking! Who can tell what may be her designs?"

"She means that we should go out to hold a conference with her in the passage, I suppose?" said Mrs. Ireton, the sick lady, to whom the displeasure raised by this idea seemed to restore strength and speech; "or, perhaps, she would be so good as to receive us in the kitchen? Her condescension is really edifying! I am quite at a loss how I shall shew my sense of such affability."

"What, is that black insect buzzing about us still?" cried her son, "Why what the deuce can one make of such a grim thing?"

"O, it's my friend the demoiselle, is it?" said Riley; "Faith, I had almost