"That means half a sovereign, 'Ria," said Saxa merrily. "Don't you let her put you off with a paltry half crown." "Then tell me what you mean." "Oh, I couldn't, miss; I couldn't, indeed." "Then there is something," said Dana, "and--you shall tell me," she cried fiercely, as, in an Amazonlike fashion, she gripped the woman's arm. "Now then, you tell me. It's something about the nurse and--" "Miss Dana, please don't. I'm so weak still," pleaded Maria. "There, you as good as owned to it. What is it?" "It's nothing, miss. I only sus--fancied something." "Then speak out," cried Dana, sharply. "I will know before you go out of this room. Then it was them I saw across the park," she exclaimed excitedly. Maria's eyes twinkled. "You were thinking something about Mr Alison?" "O Dan, you ought to be ashamed of yourself!" cried Saxa. "Ought I? Never mind. It was what I suspected, but I wouldn't let myself believe it. Now, Maria, you speak out. I will know now." "I dursn't, miss." "You tell me directly, or it will be the worse for you and for him." "I'm sure I don't know nothing, miss," said Maria, whimpering, "and you are hurting my arm." "And I'm sure you do," cried Dana, loosening her grip and tearing off her glove. "There," she said, taking off a ring set with good-sized pearls, "tell me everything and I'll give you that." Maria turned pale with excitement, and her right hand opened and shut. "I dursn't, miss," she whispered hoarsely. "It's more than my place is worth." "If anything comes of what you tell you shall be maid to us, so speak out honestly. There, take the ring." "Dana, I'm ashamed of you," whispered Saxa, as Maria's fingers closed upon the valuable jewel. "It's disgraceful." "I don't care. He's playing fast and loose with me, and I'm not going to put up with it, so I tell you. Now then, I'll speak plainly, Maria, and you've got to speak plainly, too. Mr Alison has been making up to that nurse!" "You won't tell on me, miss?" whispered Maria, in whose palm the ring seemed to burn as if the chaste, pale pearls were fiery rubies. "No; I'll hold you safe." "Then it is true, miss. He's always after her, and has been ever since she came." "You lying hussy!" cried Saxa hotly. "If I were my sister I'd lash you with my riding whip--I mean shake you till you went down on your knees and owned it was out of spite." "Lying hussy, am I?" cried Maria viciously, "when every word's true, and that isn't all, miss; Mr Neil's as bad or worse." There was a sharp sound in the room, for Saxa had flashed up with rage and struck the woman sharply across the mouth with the back of her hand. "A lie!" she cried. "Mr Neil Elthorne would not degrade himself by noticing such a woman."