Sandford had progressed--died
out of her face. She shrunk a little in her chair, her head dropping
forward. For the space of half a minute she sat with eyes cast down.
Both were silent, Mrs. Sandford waiting to see the effect of what
she had said, and hoping it would work a change in the girl's
purpose. But she was disappointed. After sitting in a stunned kind
of way for a short time, she rose, and without trusting herself to
speak bowed slightly and left the room. Mrs. Sandford did not call
after the girl, but suffered her to go down stairs and leave the
house without an effort to detain her.
"She must gang her ain gait," said the lady, fretfully and with a
measure of hardness in her voice.
On reaching the street, Ethel Ridley--the reader has guessed her
name--walked away with slow, unsteady steps. She felt helpless and
friendless. Mrs. Sandford had offered to find her a home if she
would abandon her father and little brother. The latter, as Mrs.
Sandford urged, could be sent to his mother's relatives, where he
would be much better off than now.
Not for a single instant did Ethel debate the proposition. Heart and
soul turned from it. She might die in her effort to keep a home for
her wretched father, but not till then had she any thought of giving
up.
On leaving the house of Mr. Elliott, Mrs. Birtwell. went home, and
after remaining there for a short time ordered her carriage and
drove to a part of the town lying at considerable distance from that
in which she lived.
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