“Have you a recommendation from her?”
“No,” answered Tom.
“Why did you leave?” asked the lady, suspiciously.
“Because she said I took some money, when I didn’t,” replied Tom, promptly.
A change came over the lady’s face,—a change that betokened little encouragement to Tom.
“I shall not be able to take you,” she said. “I wonder they should have sent you from the intelligence office.”
“They didn’t send me.”
“You were not sent from the office? How did you know I wanted a chamber-maid?”
“I didn’t know,” said Tom. “I thought you might.”
“If I had known that, I should have refused you at once. You can go downstairs, and the servants will let you out at the basement door,—down those stairs.”[stairs.”]