A Bottle in the Smoke

y he had allowed his syce to drive him along the winding roads of the suburbs, heedless whither he was being carried. Rousing himself at length from his reverie, he

. A gap in the thicket-a mode of exit much favoured by the native servants-permitted him to catch a glimpse of a

s you, li

ht sight of the speaker. Encouraged by the kind voice and seeing its owner was in Euro

never done no such ting. My heart done break. I not

touch your Missus'

what I do? Nobody believin' me. Ramaswamy butler hurt werry sore t

orpeth, observing that her right hand was rolle

d bleeding fingers. Little chips of wood, of which some fragment

suspected!" muttered Mr

When I no 'fess, he make fingers plenty sore";

th a look of terror, only to come into view of a stout matron and a young lady who w

lady, catching a glimpse of the red saree. "And see this ga

d tell Mrs. Rayner how disappointingly her protégée has tu

y been two months in the country," returned the young lady, wi

rough the hedge to the road"; and Miss Harbottle, hurrying forward, pounced upon the chil

nstant, or I shall tell Mrs. Rayner what a thief you've turned into. A nice whipping you'll

emembering the kind face which had looked pityingly upon her from the other side of the hedge, she sprang towards the gap, but the fr

to find service, but she had never been able to make up her mind to part with the winning little Rosie. The child, too, was useful to her in many ways. She found her rice always prepared for her to her liking when she went for her mid-day and evening meals. Rosie did a little "titching" too, the ayah assured Mrs. Rayner, but as her clothes were merely lengths of coloured muslin draped gracefully about her little person, there were not many seams to sew. The ayah had the voluble and quaint command of English common to Madrassee servants, and in a wonderful way had been able to impart it to Rosie, though, as to reading English, that was beyond even granny ayah herself. What a joy it was to her therefore when one day her mistress called Rosie to her and gave her her first lesson! The little gi

of her bedroom where she sat busy with her home-mail, she perceived Mrs. Harbottle and her daughter dragg

st?" she asked in an undertone. "Things

ing when I was at early tea that brat was alone in my room 'tidying up,' forsooth!" Mrs. Harbottle re

ace was replaced by a greyish hue, her features seemed suddenly sharpened as she took in the situation. Folding her lean brown arms, she stood a pathetic, statuesque figure as she listened to the denunc

h a groan she covered her face for a moment, then looked

pore chil'. See, Missu

" exclaimed Hester

cks making plenty blood come to make me 'fes

cking, Mrs. Harbottle! Wha

y laid a finger on the little wretc

ward again, and leading Rosie near p

u, Rosie?" asked He

He do this to mak

r cheeks as she glanced up

re was a flash in Hester's grey blue eyes which made Mrs. Harb

" All the same she was not feeling easy at the discovery, for had she not at the butler's request

. "He has gone driving with a friend who is staying wi

thing more to say," wound up Mrs. Harbottle, with an air of offence. "Perhaps you'l

s only," sobbed Rosie, and sprang for

triumph in her tone. "I'll leave you now," she added, with returning smiles as she prepared to go. "I really c

and the mother and daughter hurried away acro

ll? Had the child yielded to a sudden temptation and become a thief? Was t

re you used to repeat your hymn and hear nice stories," sa

rs, seemed to have wonderfully recovered her

, Rosie?" asked Hester gravely. "Sur

touchin' ring," cried the chil

u were going to confess

done 'fess, and I done 'fess butler, only he prick m

n smiled. She decided to call the ayah and relieve her poor heart by assuring her of the innocence of her granddaughter. She found her in the

ow that from first. But what that matter when English lady done say she did. How can pore native woman stand up against on

, though she held her head high an

ough she felt unable to make any reply to her bitter words. But though she could not bind broken hearts, she could at least dress wounded fin