It was very clear that the carpenter sweetheart had been discarded, and that this stranger had filled his place so promptly that Jane had not thought it worth her while to go through any ceremony of transferring his privileges. Of course she had known well enough that her mistress would be no party to such a rapidly moving panorama of courtship. Or was there any genuine courtship in the matter at all, or was the form of a professed “engagement” the mask under which mere promiscuous acquaintances were encouraged? Who was this man? Lucy could not but remember his free laughter and loud talk on what had evidently been the evening of his first appearance. Now when she had unwittingly surprised him in her kitchen, he neither blenched nor offered the slightest explanation or apology. As Lucy sat, reflective, she heard him laugh again. However, this evening he did not stay till the usual hour of nine, but went off as soon as the spring twilight darkened into dusk—went off with slamming of doors, and stamping of feet, and whistling, as he mounted the area stairs. Lucy lit her lamp. She resolved not to summon Jane to her presence, but to wait till she brought the supper tray. Perhaps she wished to give Jane an opportunity to come and offer some voluntary explanation and apology. Perhaps she wished to calm her own nerves. Perhaps—and this is the most probable—she deferred simply out of dread of a scene. Lucy had always felt that Jane was an unknown quantity in the house, so she had no prevision as to how the servant would act in any crisis. The maid moved about the kitchen noisily. It was evident that supper was to be served in very good time. If Lucy was afraid of Jane, Jane was clearly not going to be afraid of her. She came upstairs with a very firm step, and looked straight at her mistress as she put down the tray. Lucy’s heart was beating very fast, but she controlled her nerves enough to say with a perfectly even voice— “Jane, I must ask you for some explanation about the change of your weekly visitor, for——” Jane interrupted her. “Please, m’m,” she said, “there’s no need to ask me anything. I’ve come to give you notice—to bid you suit yourself before this day month. Ever since I’ve been here I’ve been thinking I’d like service in the country—with some lady as is a lady, and doesn’t come a-poking her nose into my kitchen when she knows I’ve got a friend there. I like a lady as looks after her work at the proper time, not having to go out of a morning to earn her bread. It’s not your fault, m’m, I dessay, but it ain’t pleasant for a girl.” In face of this impertinence, Lucy rallied her spirits and dignity. Cost what such effort may afterwards, it is not at such moments that any spirited woman fails or shrinks.