"Miss Mayhew, will you please step here?" said a very fashionably
dressed lady.

Turning, Ida saw near her the mother of the child that had been
rescued the previous day. She, with her husband, had been talking
very earnestly to Mr. Burleigh, the proprietor of the house, who
seemed in rather a dubious state of mind over some proposition of
theirs.

"Miss Mayhew, we want your opinion in regard to a certain matter,"
began the lady volubly. "Of course I and my husband feel very
grateful to the young woman who saved our child from your cousin's
horses yesterday. Indeed, my husband feels so deeply indebted that
he wishes to make some return and I have suggested that he present
her with a check for five hundred dollars. I learn from Mr. Burleigh
that she is a teacher, and therefore, of course, she must be poor.
Now, in my view, if my husband or some other gentleman should present
this check in the parlor, with an appropriate little speech, it
would be a nice acknowledgment of her act. Don't you think so?"

"I do not think I am qualified to give an opinion," said Ida, "as
I have no acquaintance with the lady whatever."

"I'm sure it will be just the thing to do," said the lady, becoming
more infatuated with her project every moment. "Do you think your
cousin would be willing to make the speech?"