My Lady. 33
at that time. Hay and corn harvest drew them
away to the fields, and there was a farm-house being
built, which groups of them went daily to superin-
tend, and to bother the builders instead of me; so
I was left pretty much to myself.

I never told my lady all my thoughts and troubles,
as I had fancied that I could. It is not that she
did not prove as kind and sympathising as I could
possibly have imagined; but it is so much easier
to think and plan about saying a thing than really
to say it, and then she gave me so much that was
new to ponder and think over, that my past life was
almost forgotten. For it was not only reading that
she taught me. Every afternoon, when the reading
lesson was over, Miss Churchill told me some Bible
story or taught mea few lines ofa hymn, and talked
about God and His dealings towards us; about
Jesus and Heaven, about right and wrong; and
almost all of this was new to me. I knew indeed
what Nance considered right and wrong—for me,
that isto say; but her ideas and mine were not at
all the same on that subject. I saw that she and
Sally, her grand-daughter, did and said much behind
my father’s back that they would on no account
have had him know ; and why should not I in the
same way pretend to do as Nance wished, while I

disobeyed her as soon as her back was turned ?
c