“No, sir, she left Cheltenham this morning betimes, and we be getting the house ready for other lodgers.” Almeria was very much disappointed--she looked flushed and fatigued; and the maid said, “Ma’am, if you’ll be pleased to rest a while, you’re welcome, I’m sure--and the parlour’s cleaned out--be pleased to sit down, ma’am.”--Almeria followed, for she was really tired, and glad to accept the good-natured offer. She was shown into the same parlour where she had but a few weeks before taken leave of Ellen. The maid rolled forward the great arm-chair, in which old Mr. Elmour had been seated; and as she moved it, a gold-headed cane fell to the ground. Almeria’s eyes turned upon it directly as it fell; for it was an old friend of hers: many a time she had played with it when she was a child, and for many years she had been accustomed to see it in the hand of a man whom she loved and respected. It brought many pleasing and some painful associations to her mind--for she reflected how ill she had behaved to the owner of it the last time she saw him. “Ay, ma’am,” said the maid, “it is the poor old gentleman’s cane, sure enough--it has never been stirred from here, nor his hat and gloves, see, since the day he died.” “Died!--Good Heavens!--Is Mr. Elmour dead?” “Yes, sure--he died last Tuesday, and was buried yesterday. You’d better drink some of this water, ma’am,” said the girl, filling a glass that stood on the table. “Why! dear heart! I would not have mentioned it so sudden in this way, but I thought it could no way hurt you. Why, it never came into my head you could be a friend of the family’s, nor more, may be, at the utmost, than an acquaintance, as you never used to call much during his illness.” This was the most cutting reproach, and the innocence with which it was uttered made it still more severe. Almeria burst into tears; and the poor girl, not knowing what to say next, and sorry for all she had said, took up the cane, which had fallen from Almeria’s hands, and applied herself to brightening the gold head with great diligence. At this instant there was a double knock at the house-door. “It’s only the young gentleman, ma’am,” said the maid, as she went towards the door. “What young gentleman?” said Almeria, rising from her seat. “Young Mr. Elmour, ma’am: he did not go away with his sister, but stayed to settle some matters. Oh, they have let him in!”