"What about my pupil, won't she breakfast with me?" inquired Miss Woodford.
"I can't say, miss. I wouldn't advise you to wait for her; she's off in the woods somewhere, and there's no knowing when she'll come back. Betsy will keep something hot for her."
"Oh. I see"—and the new governess realised something of the difficulty of her position as she sat down—"I won't delay any longer then."
She had not quite finished when she heard a child's laugh, and the door was flung open,-and a sharp little voice exclaimed:
"There you are; I thought I'd find you here. Good morning, Miss—oh, what's your name?"
"Good morning. I'm Miss Woodford, and you—you are my pupil Ellice, aren't you?" said the new governess, with a smile.
"Yes. I wonder what your other name is?"
"It's Margaret."
"Oh, that's rather nice; it's nothing like mine. Isn't it stupid I can't call you by it? Mamma said I was to say Miss Woodford when I spoke to you."
"Yes, of course, because you are a lady, you see, and ladies always behave politely—they can't help it."