“Me sun” ses he “is yung and rash. This is not the first time I have been obleeged to cum in person to extrycate him from sich a scrape. Forchunatly” ses he “we expict him to make an airly marruge. I was talking to his finansay’s father to-day and its aboot desided that the yung fokes will both be sint abrord nixt week. Good avening sir” ses he “You will not be thrubbled again” ses he. Thin, still smiling in that nasty insoolting way of his, he bowed and wint. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER XXIII NEXT DAY After the sad ivints of the disthressful day I wint to sleep wid a hevvy hart, but sorrer a bit of paceful sleep did I get. I drimt that Minnie do be cuming to tak my place wid the Wolley family. By desateful words and ackshons she have worked upon the feelings of Miss Claire and now its me the family do be blaming for the thrubbles. I do be weeping fit to make a hart of stone ake and telling Miss Claire its me thats been a true and loving girl, a foolish victim of the sinful Minnie. But in me dream Miss Claire refoosed to look at me at all at all, and its wirrah, wirrah, I be crying in me sleep. Thin I herd somewan whispering at me eer. “Delia! Delia!” I set up wildly in me bed, and there I seen Miss Claire in the moonlite. “Its I, Claire—don’t be fritened, Delia” ses she. “My God! Miss” ses I “ye do be after scaring a body. Whats the thrubble darlint” for shes neeling by me bed crying fit to brake her hart. After a bit she looked up and ses: “Theyve been watching me all avening. They’ll niver let me be alone wid you agin. You see papa ses your to blame, and James ses that if you hadn’t incoraged us to yuse your kitchen and——” I set up and shuk me fist. “Ef Mr. James” ses I “has anny crittersickem to be after making on a poor loan hardworking girl he’d better spake to me.” “Oh Delia” ses she “plase don’t get excited. Lissen. I’m not to be house-kaper anny longer. I don’t know how Harry and I will see aich other, and Oh Delia,” ses she, saizing me by the shouwlder, “Did you heer him say that he—he loved me?” “That I did darlint” ses I, “so don’t you be after wurrying, for all the avil minded brothers in the warld, all the cross eyed, hard harted, black sowled, crool fathers and mothers cant coom betune a pare of swateharts whin troo love is after stipping in.” “Yes” ses she airnestly “but do you relly think he ment it?” “_Ment_ it! Its ashamed I am of you Miss Claire. Is it misdouting the woord of Mr. Dudley, you be, and he as foine a yung chap as iver stepped alive?” The teers dryed up like magick, and she smiled as swately as a aingel. “Yes” ses she “he _did_ mean it, and all _will_ cum rite, for love” ses she “will shurely foind a way.” “That it will” ses I. Well, thin she wint to bed, and I belave slipt sowndly, for her cheeks were pink as roses in the marning, and her eyes brite and luvly.