But she preyed upon our minds dreadfully. We felt our inexperience, and were unable to help ourselves. We should have been at her mercy, if she had had any; but she was a remorseless woman, and had none. She was the cause of our first little quarrel.

“My dearest life,” I said one day to Dora, “do you think Mary Anne has any idea of time?”

“Why, Doady?” inquired Dora, looking up, innocently, from her drawing.

“My love, because it’s five, and we were to have dined at four.”

Dora glanced wistfully at the clock, and hinted that she thought it was too fast.

“On the contrary, my love,” said I, referring to my watch, “it’s a few minutes too slow.”