We don't know the girl very well, and it won't do." Ida Slome solved the problem with her usual precision and promptness.
"Then," said she, "she will have to board at Mrs.White's until we return.

There is nothing else to do." It was therefore decided that Maria was to board at Mrs.White's, although it involved some things which were not altogether satisfactory to Ida.

Maria could not sit all alone in a pew, and watch her father being married to his second wife, that was obvious; and, since Mrs.Jonas White was going to take charge of her, there was nothing else to do but to place herself and daughter in a position of honored intimacy.

Mrs.Jonas White said quite openly that she was not in any need of taking boarders, that she had only taken Mr.Edgham and Maria to oblige, and that she now was to take poor little Maria out of pity.

She, in reality, did pity Maria, for a good many reasons.