'A young man; he looked like a farmer's son, but very impudent, and stood
there talking to me whether I would or not; and Madame did not care at
all, and laughed at me for being frightened; and, indeed, I am very
uncomfortable with her.'

He gave me another shrewd look, and then looked down cloudily and thought.

'You say you are uncomfortable and frightened. How is this--what causes
these feelings?'

'I don't know, sir; she likes frightening me; I am afraid of her--we are
all afraid of her, I think. The servants, I mean, as well as I.'

My father nodded his head contemptuously, twice or thrice, and muttered, 'A
pack of fools!'

'And she was so very angry to-day with me, because I would not walk again
with her to Church Scarsdale. I am very much afraid of her. I--' and quite
unpremeditatedly I burst into tears.

'There, there, little Maud, you must not cry. She is here only for your
good. If you are afraid--even _foolishly_ afraid--it is enough. Be it as
you say; your walks are henceforward confined to the grounds; I'll tell her
so.'

I thanked him through my tears very earnestly.

'But, Maud, beware of prejudice; women are unjust and violent in their
judgments. Your family has suffered in some of its members by such