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Loveday was very much shocked, all the more when Aurelia quietly said she should not mind it so much if the rats would only stay down stairs, and not run over her in bed

"Yet you will not sign the paper"

"I cannot," again said Aurelia

"My stars, I never could abear rats! Why they fly at one's throat sometimes!"

"I hope God will take care of ht"

Loveday began a for curtsey, but presently turned back "There now," she said, "I cannot do it, I couldn't sleep a wink for thinking of you a away those shells if you'll ain that the nasty ver about the place that no one willit down, and depend upon it, the rats won't venture near it"

"Oh! thank you, Mrs Loveday, how good you are!"

"Ah, don't then! If you could say that , Aurelia repaired the ravages of the rats, andnuht of the Creator's individual love

She had not yet finished before Madge's voice was heard in querulous anger, and a heavy tread ca ht of the box of shells, ca with black ears, under his aruardian of the house, "that smart madam says that it's her ladyship's pleasure you should have that little beast to keep down the rats As if h! But mind you, Madam Really, if so be he meddles with my cats, it will be the worse for him"

The porter took up the box, and departed, and Aurelia was left with her new cohbourhood of his natural enemies However, he obeyed her call, and let her make friends, and read the name on the brass plate upon his collar When she read "Sir A Bela in her ar fairly rested, and having no task to accoh less solitary, in the co, to whom she whispered many fond compliments, and vain questions as to his nae and her cats safely shut into the kitchen, she took courage to wander about the dull court, and then to explore the her s, in case they were not shuttered up like the lower ones The e to this, and she sht herself a prisoner there