Out of her sphere - University Library

44 OUT OF ITER SPRERE.
he's a fool that may be talked into any-
thing," thought Clare.
She went about her work ; she could
not sit still and think—anything rather
than that—she was almost frenzied by the
possibility that, after all, everything she had
done—every step she had taken, had only
served to place Mrs. Thornton in the posi-
tion she had so coveted for herself *' She
would be the town's talk, but what of
that ?" to have married Audley Dale, Clare
would have been content to have been the
talk of a dozen towns. She said nothing
more to Deb ;
she would wait and see how
things turned out before she did, and so
she went on with her brushing and dusting
to all appearance as if no higher interests
than those connected with brushes and
dusters ever occupied her thoughts.
Presently Deb came to her.
" The mar-
ster's not down yet, an' it's nigh eleven ;
will he hev a bit of breakfast in bed, an'