"But whether I am a child or not, I can see that very little attention is ever paid to my mother." "Has Lady Tayne complained ?" she asked, hurriedly.
"No, and never will," I replied, with all a child's pride in a mother's courage.
"I thought as much," she said, with a peculiar smile.

"Lady Tayne has plenty of sense." "She has plenty of patience," I replied, "and plenty of opportunity of exercising it." "So much the better," replied Miss Reinhart, and then we resumed our lessons.
It was soon all over with the old servants.

I wonder that my father, so sensible, so keen in other matters, could not see that her sole ambition was to have every person in the house under her control.

One by one the old servants disappeared--there was some fault or other with each one--and my father grew more passive at each attack, and made less resistance; he was so deeply impressed with the fact that every change resulted in greater comfort for himself.
One morning when, by some rare chance, I was left alone with Sir Roland, and the faces of strange servants passed in and out: "Papa," I said, "we have great changes in the house." "Yes," he replied, brightly; "and so far as I can see, they have conduced greatly to our benefit." "I want you to grant me one favor, papa--will you ?" "Certainly, my Laura," he replied.

"Why, what does this mean ?" for I had thrown myself in his arms with passionate tears--"what is this, Laura ?" "I want you to promise me," I said, "that, whatever changes go on, you will not let any one send mamma's maid, Patience, away ?" He looked dreadfully shocked.
"Your mother's maid, child ?" he said.