“But the next morning she met the girl in the hall, and the next evening in the parlor; again she passed the figure on the stairs, or encountered it in the drawing-room. The lady lost patience, and sent for the house-steward in her presence.
“‘Did I not command that that girl should not come here again?’ she sternly demanded.
“‘Yes, my lady,’ respectfully answered the man.
“‘Then how is it that she comes here as much as ever?’
“‘My dear lady, she have never entered the house since your ladyship gave the order that she was not so to do.’
“‘But she has. I have seen her here at least a half a dozen times.’
“‘Dear lady, I dare not contradict you; but poor Milly Jones has been down with the pleurisy for these two weeks past, and could not have got out of her bed, even if your ladyship had ordered her to come.’
“‘Isaac, is this true?’
“‘True as truth, your ladyship, which you can find it out for yourself by riding up to the hut and seeing the poor girl, which it would be a charity so to do.’
“‘And you say she has not been here for a fortnight?’