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 in her proper station? She makes a very fair laundress; and she is earning very good wages for a child of her age—very good indeed."

"Well, we don't feel that the station of Temple laundress is the right station for an angel child. We feel that Providence called her to it as a stepping-stone to higher things; to this art in fact," said the Honorable John Ruffin firmly.

Mr. Gedge-Tomkins grunted dissent.

"Besides, you have to bear in mind that Mary Bride has very good blood in her veins. There can be no doubt that she is a red Deeping," said the Honorable John Ruffin with a very serious gravity.

"What's that?" said Mr. Gedge-Tomkins quickly.

"Haven't you ever heard of the Norfolk Deepings?" said the Honorable John Ruffin, allowing a little contempt for the social ignorance of his colleagues at the Bar to steal into his tone.

"Of course—of course," said Mr. Gedge-Tomkins hastily, but quite untruthfully.

"Well, the red Deepings are the oldest and strongest strain of the Norfolk Deepings. Red Roger in fact was the big man of the family," said the Honorable John Ruffin in the tone of a historian.