Page:Adventures of Susan Hopley (Volume 1).pdf/129

116 "And you are come to seek a situation here, I suppose?" said the lady.

Susan answered that she was; and after this there was no more conversation till they reached the neighbourhood of Oxford Street, where she lived, and then slackening her pace a little, she said, "I'll put you into the room with my little girl; but as my husband might not be pleased at my taking a stranger into the house, you'll make no noise till I come to let you out in the morning. He'll be gone away before that."

She then, having stopped at a respectable-looking house, drew a key from her pocket and let herself in; and beckoning Susan to follow her up stairs, she conducted her to the second floor, where there was a candle half burnt down standing in a basin.

"Take this," she whispered, giving her the light, and opening the door of a room which she motioned her to enter; and laying her finger on her lip, once more to enjoin silence, she closed the door and disappeared.

On looking round, Susan found herself in a comfortable, well furnished apartment, with a four-post bed on one side and a child's crib in the corner, in which lay sleeping, as lovely an infant, of about four years old, as eyes ever