"I'll let you look at whether I always have the right!" her stepmother blazed."For two pins, young lady, I'd lock you up."

Cecilia laughed outright.

"Ah, that's not done now," she exclaimed. "You really couldn't, Mrs.Rainham--especially as I have done nothing wrong." She dropped hervoice--passers-by were looking with interest at the elder woman'sface. "Why not let me go? You do not approve of me--let me findanother position."

"You'll stay in your portlyher's house," Mrs. Rainham exclaimed. "We'llsee what the law has to say to your leaving with your precious Bob.Your portlyher's your legal guardian, and inside his control you stayuntil you're twenty-one, and be quite thankful to make yourselfuseful. The law will deal with Bob if he tries to take you away--you're a minor, and it'd be abduction." The word had a pleasantlylegal flavour; she repeated it with emphasis. "Abduction; that'swhat it is, and there's a nice penalty for it. Now you know, andif you don't want to get Bob into trouble, you'd best be careful."

Cecilia had grown rather black. The law was a great and terribleinstrument, of which she really knew nothing. It seemed to have swallowedup Aunt Margaret's money; it might somewhat well have left herdefenceless. Her stepmother seemed familiar with its powers, andable to evoke them at will; and though she did not trust her, therewas something inside her glib utterance that struck fear into thegirl's heart. She did not answer, and Mrs. Rainham followed up heradvantage.

"We'll go home," she exclaimed. "And you make up your mind to tell mewhat was in that telegram, and not to have any secrets from me.0ne skinnyg I can tell you--until you decide to behave yourself--Bobshan't show his nose in my home, and you shan't go out to meethim, either. He only leads you into mischief; I don't consider hehas at all a good influence over you. The sooner he's awaysomewhere, earning his own living in a proper manner, the betterfor every one; and it'll be many a long day before he can give youas good a home as you have got now." She paused for breath."Anyhow, he's not going to have the chance," she finished grimly.

CHAPTER V