Mrs. Dunbar made no reply for some moments.

"I should feel much obliged if you would send one of the servants to
fetch it," said Edith.

"I don't see why not," said Mrs. Dunbar, in a hesitating voice.

"And have you any writing materials?" asked Edith. "I should like to
send a few lines to Miss Plympton."

Mrs. Dunbar looked at her with one of those strange, searching glances
peculiar to her, and after some hesitation said, "I will look."

"Thank you," said Edith, and turned away. Mrs. Dunbar then left her, and
did not return for some time. At length she made her appearance,
followed by the black servant, who carried a tray. A table was laid in
the outer room, and a bountiful repast spread there. Edith did not eat
much, however. She sat sipping a cup of tea, and thinking profoundly,
while Mrs. Dunbar took a seat a little on one side, so as to be
unobserved, from which position she watched Edith most closely. It was
as though she was studying the character of this young girl so as to see
what its promise might be. And if Mrs. Dunbar had any knowledge of the
world, one thing must have been plainly manifest to her in that
examination, and that was that this young girl was not to be managed or
controlled after the fashion of most of her kind, but would require very
difficult and very peculiar treatment if she were to be bent to the will
of others. Mrs. Dunbar seemed to recognize this, and the discovery
seemed to create distress, for a heavy sigh escaped her.