were children
together; and as I have much more money than I can ever want or spend, I
thought I might help him. I am afraid I have let myself in for a bigger
thing than I intended; but as I have promised I must go on with it. I
dare say, Auntie, that you are afraid that I may end by getting in love
with him, and marrying him. Don't you, dear?' This was said with a hug
and a kiss which gave the old lady delight. Her instinct told her what
was coming. She nodded her head in acquiescence. Stephen went on
gravely:

'Put any such fear out of your mind. I shall never marry him. I can
never love him.' She was going to say 'could never love him,' when she
remembered.

'Are you sure, my dear? The heart is not always under one's own
control.'

'Quite sure, Auntie. I know Leonard Everard; and though I have always
liked him, I do not respect him. Why, the very fact of his coming to me
for money would make me reconsider any view I had formed, had nothing
else ever done so. You may take it, Auntie dear, that in the way you
mean Leonard is nothing to me; can never be anything to me!' Here a
sudden inspiration took her. In its light a serious difficulty passed,
and the doing of a thing which had a fear of its own became easy. With a
conviction in her tone, which in itself aided her immediate purpose, she
said:

'I shall prove it to you. That is, if you will not mind doing something
which will save me an embarrassment.'

'You know I will do anything, my dearest, which an old woman can do for a
young one!' Stephen squeezed the mittened hand which she held as she
went on:

'As I said, I have promised to lend him some money. The first instalment
is to be given him to-morrow; he is to call for it in the afternoon. Will
you give it to him for me?'

'Gladly, my dear,' said the old lady, much relieved. Stephen continued:

'One other thing, Auntie, I want you to do for me: not to think of the
amount, or to say a word to me about it. It is a large sum, and I dare
say it will frighten you a little. But I have made up my mind to it. I
am learning a great deal out of this, Auntie dear; and I am quite willing
to pay for my knowledge. After all, money is the easiest and cheapest
way of paying for knowledge! Don't you agree with me?'

Miss Rowly gulped down her disappointment. She felt that she ought not
to say too much, now that Stephen had set aside her graver fears. She
consoled herself with the thought th