The day of Evelyn’s freedom came to an end. No remark had been made with regard to her extraordinary dress; no comments when she declined to accompany her own special guest to her bedroom. She was allowed to have her own sweet will. She went up-stairs very late, and, on the whole, not discontented. She had enjoyed her chat with some of the strange children who had arrived that afternoon. Lady Frances had scarcely looked at her. That fact did not worry her in the least. She had said good-night in quite a patronizing tone to both her aunt and uncle, she did not trouble even to seek for Audrey, and went up to her room singing gaily¹ to herself. She had a fine, strong contralto voice, and she had not the slightest idea of keeping it in suppression. She sang the chorus of a common-place song which had been popular on the ranch². Lady Frances quite shuddered³ as she heard her. Presently Evelyn reached her own room, where Jasper was awaiting her. Jasper knew her young mistress thoroughly⁴. She had not the slightest idea of putting herself out too much with regard to Evelyn, but at the same time she knew that Evelyn 107 would be very cross and disagreeable if she had not her comforts; accordingly, the fire burned clear and bright, and there were preparations for the young girl’s favorite meal of chocolate and biscuits already going on.  
“Oh dear!” said Evelyn, “I am tired; but we have had quite a good time. Of course when the Castle belongs to me I shall always keep it packed with company. There is no fun in a big place like this unless you have heaps of guests. Aunt Frances was quite harmless to-night.”
 
“Harmless!” cried Jasper.
 
“Yes; that is the word. She took no notice of me at all. I do not mind that. Of course she is jealous, poor thing! And perhaps I can scarcely wonder. But if she leaves me alone I will leave her alone.”
 
“You are conceited⁵, Evelyn,” said Jasper. “How could that grand and stately lady be jealous of a little girl like yourself?”
 
“I think she is, all the same,” replied Evelyn. “And, by the way, Jasper, I do not care for that tone of yours. Why do you call me a little girl and speak as though you had no respect for me?”
 
“I love you too well to respect you, darling,” replied Jasper.
 
“Love me too well! But I thought people never loved others unless they respected them.”
 
“Yes, but they do,” answered Jasper, with a short laugh. “How should I love you if that was not the case?” 108
Evelyn grew red and a puzzled expression flitted across her face.
 
“I should like my chocolate,” she said, sinking into a chair by the fire. “Make it for me, please.”
 
Jasper did so without any comment. It was long past midnight; the little clock on the mantelpiece pointed⁶ with its jeweled hands to twenty minutes to one.
 
“I shall not get up early,” said Evelyn. “Aunt Frances was annoyed at my not being down this morning, but she will have to bear it. You will get me a very nice breakfast, won’t you, dear old Jasper? When I wake you will have things very cozy⁷, won’t you, Jas?”
 
“Yes, darling; I’ll do what I can. By the way, Evelyn, you ought not to have let that poor Miss Sylvia come up here and go off by herself.”
 
Evelyn pouted⁸.
 
“I won’t be scolded,” she said. “You forget your place, Jasper. If you go on like this it might really be best for you to go.”
 
“Oh, I meant nothing,” said Jasper, in some alarm; “only it did seem—you will forgive my saying it—not too kind.”
 
“I like Sylvia,” said Evelyn; “she is handsome and she says funny things. I mean to see a good deal more of her. Now I am sleepy, so you may help me to get into bed.”
 
The spoilt child slept in unconscious bliss⁹, and the next morning, awaking late, desired Jasper to 109 fetch her breakfast. Jasper rang the bell. After a time a servant appeared.
 
“Will you send Miss Wynford’s breakfast up immediately?” said Jasper.
 
The girl, a neat-looking housemaid, withdrew. She tapped at the door again in a few minutes.
 
“If you please, Miss Jasper,” she said, “Lady Frances’s orders are that Miss Evelyn is to get up to breakfast.”
 
Jasper, with a slight smirk¹⁰ on her face, went into Evelyn’s bedroom to retail¹¹ this message. Evelyn’s face turned the color of chalk with intense anger.
 
“Impertinent woman!” she murmured. “Go down immediately yourself, Jasper, and bring me up some breakfast. Go—do you hear? I will not be ruled by Lady Frances.”
 
Jasper very unwillingly¹² went down-stairs. She returned in about ten minutes to inform Evelyn that it was quite useless, that Lady Frances had given most positive orders, and that there was not a servant in the house who would dare to disobey her.
 
“But you would dare,” said the angry child. “Why did you not go into the larder¹³ and fetch the things yourself?”
 
“The cook took care of that, Miss Evelyn; the larder door was locked.”
 
“Oh, dear me!” said Evelyn; “and I am so hungry.” She began to cry.
 
“Had you not better get up, Evelyn?” said the maid. “The servants told me down-stairs that breakfast 110 would be served in the breakfast-room to-day up to ten o’clock.”
 
“Do you think I am going to let her have the victory over me?” said Evelyn. “No; I shall not stir. I won’t go to meals at all if this sort of thing goes on. Oh, I am cruelly treated! I am—I am! And I am so desperately¹⁴ hungry! Is not there even any chocolate left, Jasper?”
 
“I am sorry to say there is not, dear—you finished it all, to the last drop, last night; and the tin with the biscuits is empty also. There is nothing to eat in this room. I am afraid you will have to hurry and dress yourself—that is, if you want breakfast.”
 
“I won’t stir,” said Evelyn—“not if she comes to drag me out of bed with cart-ropes.”
 
Jasper stood and stared at her young charge.
 
“You are very silly, Miss Evelyn,” she said. “You will have to submit to her ladyship. You are only a very young girl, and you will find that you cannot fight against her.”
 
Evelyn now covered her face with her handkerchief, and her sobs¹⁵ became distressful¹⁶.
 
“Come, dear, come!” said Jasper not unkindly; “let me help you to get into your clothes.”
 
But Evelyn pushed her devoted¹⁷ maid away with vigorous hands.
 
“Don’t touch me. I hate you!” she said.—“Oh mothery, mothery, why did you die and leave me? Oh, your own little Evelyn is so wretched!”
 
“Now, really, Miss Evelyn, I am angry with you. You are a silly child! You can dress and go down-stairs 111 and have as nice a breakfast as you please. I heard them talking in the breakfast-room as I went by. They were such a merry party!”
 
“Much they care for me!” said Evelyn.
 
“Well, they don’t naturally unless you go and make yourself pleasant. But there, Miss Evelyn! if you don’t get up, I cannot do without my breakfast, so I am going down to the servants’ hall.”
 
“Oh! could not you bring me up a little bit of something, Jasper—even bread—even dry bread? I don’t mind h............