WEALTH WITHOUT WINGS. 139

 

“Then let us act from the light we have. None
can do better than this.”

And so it was determined to send an order to
Jasper, as usual.

CHAPTER XV.

On the next day, a fellow-clerk, who had always
performed this little service for Claire, took the
order to Jasper. With a nervous impatience that
he found it impossible to repress, Claire awaited his
return. On his appearance, he said, with ill-con-
cealed anxiety—

“Did he pay the order ?”’

The young man shook his head.

“What! Didn’t pay it?’ Though half-ex-
pecting such a result, he was none the more pre-
pared for it, nor the less disturbed when it was
known.

“No; he said that the contract entered into with
you for boarding the child was at an end three
months ago.”

‘What else did he say ?”

‘‘ Nothing else.”

“ Did he send no message to me of any kind ?”’

“None. When I handed him the order, he
pushed it back, and used the words I have repeated.
I waited a little while for some further remark, but
he made none.”

“Did he seem angry ?”