Merton, seeing his clients absorbed in mirth, murmured something vague
about 'business,' and spirited Miss Blossom away to the inner chamber.

'Sit down, pray, Miss Blossom. There is no time to waste. What do you
know about these children? Why did you send them here?'

The girl, who was pale enough now, said, 'I never thought they would
come.'

'They are here, however. What do you know about them?'

'I went to stay, lately, at the Home Farm on their grandmother's place.
We became great friends. I found out that they were motherless, and that
they were being cruelly ill-treated by their governess.'

'Miss Limmer?'

'Yes. But they both said they loved her dearly. They always said that
when asked. I gathered from their grandmother, old Mrs. Apsley, that
their father would listen to nothing against the governess. The old lady
cried in a helpless way, and said he was capable of marrying the woman,
out of obstinacy, if anybody interfered. I had your advertisement, and I
thought you might disentangle him. It was a kind of joke. I only told
them that you were a kind gentleman. I never dreamed of their really
coming.'

'Well, you must take them back again presently, there is the address. You
must see their father; you must wait till you see him. And how are you
to explain this escapade? I can't have the children taught to lie.'