"Yes, yes, and so it must be to her. But tell me," continued Mrs Riversley eagerly, "did you make the arrangement?" "Yes, and I had to give her every penny of the money you started me with." "And she does not know anything?" "No," said the woman, "and never will if you behave to me proper." "Yes, yes, Jane, I will; anything I can do, but you must go from here-- at once." "And how are you going to manage?" "As I can," said Mrs Riversley sternly. "This secret must be kept." "And what are you going to give me to keep it?" said the woman sharply. "I am not rich, Jane--far from it," began Mrs Riversley. "You're rich enough to pay me twenty pounds a year always," said the woman, with a keen greedy look in her unpleasant face. "Yes, yes, Jane, I will," said Mrs Riversley eagerly, "on condition that you keep it secret, and never come near us more." "Then I want that grey silk dress of Miss Mary's," said the woman, with the avaricious look growing in her face. "She won't want to wear it now." "You shall have it, Jane." "And there's that velvet jacket I should like." "You shall have that too, Jane." "I ain't got a watch and chain," said the woman, "you may as well give me yourn." Without a word Mrs Riversley unhooked the little gold watch from her side, drew the chain from her neck, and threw it over that of her servant, whose closely set eyes twinkled with delight. "You must pay me the money in advance every year," said the woman now sharply. "I'm not going without the first year." Without replying Mrs Riversley walked to a side-table, unlocked a desk, and from the drawer took out four crisp new bank-notes. Jane Glyne, maid-of-all-work at the Dingle, a place two miles from everywhere, as she said, and at which she was sure no decent servant would stop, held out her crooked fingers for the money, but Mrs Riversley placed the hand containing the notes behind her. "One word first," she said firmly. "I have agreed in every respect to the hard terms you have made." "Well, if you call them hard terms"--began the woman in an insolent tone. "Silence!" exclaimed Mrs Riversley, "and listen to me." She spoke in a low deep voice, full of emotion, and the low-bred woman quailed before her as she went on. "I say I have come to your terms that you have imposed upon me." "I never imposed upon you," began Jane. "Silence, woman!" cried Mrs Riversley, stamping her foot imperiously. "I have agreed to all you wished, but I must have my conditions too. You have that unfortunate babe." "Your grandson," said the woman in a low voice, but Mrs Riversley did not heed her.