She made no reference to the subject, but three times over the next day Sylvia entered a room in time to hear a hurried rustle and scramble, and behold Pixie gazing into the fire with an air of elaborate unconsciousness--the newspaper rolled into a ball beneath her chair. It was always open at the advertisement sheet, moreover, so that the onlooker had not much difficulty in guessing the character of the letters which were inscribed with such deep-breathed earnestness in the afternoon. They were posted in the pillar-box at the corner of the road, and Pixie marched back to the house and sat herself down with an air of mysterious importance. Her head was held proudly erect, her lips pressed tightly together as if nothing, no nothing, would induce her to put her secret into words, and Sylvia smiled to herself, and from the experiences of a week's acquaintance, gave her exactly five minutes in which to divulge the whole story. "If you were threatened with a danger--a hidjus danger--what should you think would be the best way to avoid it?" asked Pixie earnestly, at the expiration of two minutes and a half. Sarah had that moment brought in the lamp and brushed up the fire, and the little room looked wonderfully cheerful and cosy. It was just the time and opportunity for a confidential chat, and Sylvia sat herself down in the arm-chair with a pleasant sense of expectancy. She was allowed to sit up for an hour or two in the day, and that in itself was a cheering circumstance. "If I were threatened with a danger, how should I try to avoid it? I really don't know, Pixie. What do you advise yourself?" she asked smilingly, and Pixie smote her fists together, and stamped on the floor with dramatic emphasis. "Ye ought to march straight out and meet it! That's what Therese has been teaching me all these years, for, says she, `Bridgie, the dear, is so soft-hearted that she'll never believe but that everything will come right if ye sit still and look pleasant.' The last thing but one that she said to me before parting was that I must look after the family and keep them out of trouble; so I've been reading over the papers to see how I can make some money, and it's wonderful the choice you can have! I thought at first about taking a situation, but it's better that I should stay at home to look after Bridgie, and teach her how to use up the scraps as they do in France. Me dear, the most elegant soup made out of nothing at all but the scraps ye would throw to the hens! There's one advertisement which says a lady like meself can earn a handsome income in her own home, without interfering with present duties. It sounds so light and pleasant that it quite struck my fancy; and only two shillings for samples and directions!" "Oh, Pixie, did you really send it? I'm so sorry you did that without telling me first. I'm afraid it's a hoax, dear! It sounds too good to be true!"