“I think nature made a lady of her in the beginning, Lelia, for Gipsy has never been any trouble to any one, and has gained friends where least expected.” “Laurie for one!” cried Lelia furiously. “Oh, my dear, you talk like you were jealous! Can’t you trust Laurie, who has been devoted to you all your life?” “I am not jealous, Aunt Cy, I despise the gipsy, that is all, and I am astonished that you should have wasted your money giving her an education.” Her cheeks flamed scarlet, her blue eyes blazed, she looked like an incarnate fury; but she was holding herself in as well as she could, in her rage and amazement at all she was hearing. Miss Willoughby said firmly, as though defending herself: “I don’t think money was ever wasted in educating any one, Lelia, but I am sorry I cannot take the credit of ever spending anything to improve poor Gipsy’s mind. In fact, I never noticed her, and she just ran wild about the place until her foster mother, Jane Dobbs, got married, and her husband refused to adopt the waif. So, in her extremity, Heaven raised her up another good friend.” “Indeed!” “Yes, this time it was my secretary, Mrs. Bond. Ever since she came to me, two years before, she had admired the child, and pitied her. So she said to Jane: ‘I’ll care for Gipsy, if Miss Willoughby will permit me. I’ve no one to spend my money on, and I’ll pay her board at The Crags, and teach her something, so that by and by she can go out into the world and earn her own living.’” “I should think she might do that by telling fortunes and stealing!” cried Lelia sharply. “How severe you are, Lelia--just like your father!” commented her aunt, continuing: “But as I was saying about Mrs. Bond’s kind offer, I told her that Gipsy was welcome to her board, and that little room next to hers, and that she might do whatever else she pleased for her, it would be no concern of mine. I didn’t know till long afterward that they had a night-school up in her room for years, and that Gipsy got thoroughly grounded in all that she needed, and can even play the piano and sing like a bird, besides running the typewriter as well as Mrs. Bond herself. So when the poor woman, who had been in a decline for years, was dying of consumption, and I was saying how hard it would be for me now to get used to a new secretary, she begged me to try Gipsy, saying she had been training her a long time to fill her place acceptably, and was sure she could do it.” “So you actually employed her, aunt?” “Yes, and she has given me perfect satisfaction,” the old lady answered quickly, to Lelia’s infinite chagrin. She said bitterly: “This is a great surprise to me, and I may add, a great disappointment. I did not bring a maid with me, for mama remembered that girl, and she said you would no doubt let her wait upon me while I am here.” Miss Willoughby did not hesitate to answer bluntly: