"Oh, well, the fact is, I don't want to say anything against the girl, but it did not answer. I don't think such arrangements often do. The girl was sly and idle, and made mischief in the family. I had a sister—she is dead now—but she was infirm in mind, and this girl actually got the poor old woman to make a will leaving her all her property. It was not signed, and of course was worth no more than so much waste paper. She made a deal of trouble for me with poor Hannah, and there were other reasons—in short, they had to get rid of her. But what can you expect? Crab trees will bear crab apples, you know. If people will take children of that kind, they must expect to have the father, and especially the mother, come out in them. You have seen enough of the world to know that, Mr. Ferrand. However, I don't want to injure Rhoda. I am glad to see her working honestly for a living, for there is no knowing what such girls will do." Mr. Weightman had no particular intention of lying about Rhoda, although he did mean to pay her, as he said, for her disrespect to himself. He had all the time been trying to justify his treatment of Rhoda to himself by making himself believe that Rhoda was all he had represented, and he had to some extent succeeded. Was not Aunt Hannah always making her expensive presents? Had she not made a will at last leaving Rhoda that estate which was his by all right? True, it was not witnessed, or even signed, and he had reason to think that nobody knew of its existence but himself, but that was no thanks to Rhoda. Yes, she was a wicked, designing girl, and it was right to warn people against her. Rhoda exchanged no words with Uncle Jacob as he went out. She of course knew nothing of what had passed in the library, but the moment she saw Mr. Ferrand, she felt there was a change in his manner toward her. He hardly spoke to her all the rest of the week. When Monday came, he paid her her wages and a month over, made her a present of a good book, handsomely bound, and hoped she would do well. He had reconsidered the matter, and had come to the conclusion that it would not do at all. CHAPTER XIII. _A NEW FRIEND._ RHODA did not know for a long time how near she had been to the accomplishment of her wishes. She took a tearful leave of Mrs. Ferrand and Isa, and went back to 'The Home' feeling sadly enough.