her ungenerous treatment of her, other than tones of kindness; and
Natalie was happy under this new dispensation, for she said within
herself,--"I am but bearing a part of the burden which would crush dear
Winnie's heart;" and so she sang and played with her usual glad spirit,
gliding about the house with simple dignity, with a cheering word for
every one, and, as Biddy said,--"she was an escaped ray of light, too
bright for the darkness to hide."

As we may foresee, this very light-heartedness of the Sea-flower only
served to incite the ire of Mrs. Santon, who saw that every new
indignity which she had cast upon her, was returned with more meekness
of spirit. If Natalie had resented such conduct, giving "measure for
measure," the stern woman could have borne it better; but as it was, it
enraged her, that she could not come within her sphere; and, if the
truth were known, her senses were not so steeped in the waters of
insensibility, but that in her very heart she felt her great superiority
over herself.

"I will put her down, yet!" she said to herself, after another return,
through the Sea-flower, of "good for evil." "She shall yet feel my
power! and why Mr. Santon will persist in her staying with us, is more
than I can tell. But that is the way with these men! they will get
strange notions into their heads, which nobody can account for; even a
wife's wishes are looked upon as of little consequence, in comparison
with their lordly commands. I should not be surprised at any time if
Santon should withhold a favor from me to lavish upon her! But I'm
thinking that he will before long find out what I am made of, if he
thwarts my wishes. To be sure, his daughter has become attached to her,
but what of that? She must learn that she cannot have every whim
gratified; she is a spoiled child at best, and will not be likely to