in the quick staccato tones of one who is absolute and saves time
even in the utterance of words. "I also wish to see you two hours
hence."

The man bowed, as if all were a matter of course, but when he was
alone with Belle he said sharply, "You think you got ahead of me."

He would indeed have been the most malicious of dragons had not
Belle's smiling face and frank words disarmed him.

"I did get ahead of you, and you know it, but you are too much of
a man to hold a grudge against a poor girl who has her bread to
earn. Now that I am under your charge I promise that I'll do my
best to please you."

"Very well, then; we'll see. I'll have my eye on you, and don't
you forget it."

Mrs. Jocelyn and Mildred laughed, sighed, and shook their heads over
Belle's humorous account of her morning's adventure. They praised
her motive, they congratulated her on her success, but her mother
said earnestly, "My dear little girl, don't get bold and unwomanly.
We had all better starve than come to that. It would wound me to
the heart if your manner should ever cause any one to think of you
otherwise than as the pure-hearted, innocent girl that you are. But
alas! Belle, the world is too ready to think evil. You don't know
it yet at all."

She knew it better than they thought. There was one phase of her
interview with Mr. Schriven that she had not revealed, well knowing