"Breakfast's ready," Ella said. "Mother told me to find you."

"Has the woman come yet?" Deede Dawson asked. "If she has, you
might tell her to give Dunn some breakfast. I've just been telling
him I'm willing to give him another chance and to take him on as
gardener and chauffeur, so you can keep an eye on him and see if he
works well."

Ella was silent for a moment, but her expression was grave and a
little puzzled as though she did not quite understand this and
wondered what it meant, and when she looked up at her stepfather,
Dunn was certain there was both distrust and suspicion in her manner.

"I suppose," she said then, "last night seemed to you a good
recommendation?" As she spoke she glanced at her wrists where the
bruises still showed, and Deede Dawson's smile broadened.

"One should always be ready to give another chance to a poor fellow
who's down," he said. "He may run straight now he's got an
opportunity. I told him he had better shave, but he seems to think
a beard suits him best. What do you say?"

"Breakfast's waiting," Ella answered, turning away without taking
any notice of the question.

"I'll go in then," said Deede Dawson. "You might show Dunn the way
to the kitchen--his name's Robert Dunn, by the way--and tell Mrs.
Barker to give him something to eat."

"I should think he could find his way there himself," Ella remarked.