ess strained and tense Miss Rowly went on:

'What need have I for money, dear? Here I have all that any woman,
especially at my age, can need. There is no room even for charity; you
are so good to all your people that my help is hardly required. And, my
dear one, I know--I know,' she emphasised the word as she stroked the
beautiful hair, 'that when I am gone my own poor, the few that I have
looked after all my life, will, not suffer when my darling thinks of me!'
Stephen fairly climbed upon her as she said, looking in the brave old
eyes:

'So help me God, my darling, they shall never want!'

Silence for a time; and then Miss Rowly's voice again:

'Though it would not do for the world to know that a young maiden lady
had paid the debts of a vicious young man, it makes no matter if they be
paid by an old woman, be the same maid, wife, or widow! And really, my
dear, I do not see how any money I might have could be better spent than
in keeping harm away from you.'

'There need not be any harm at all, Auntie.'

'Perhaps not, dear! I hope not with all my heart. But I fear that young
man. Just fancy him threatening you, and in your own house; in my very
presence! Oh! yes, my dear. He meant to threaten, anyhow! Though I
could not exactly understand what he was driving at, I could see that he
was driving at something. And after all that you were doing for him, and
had done for him! I mean, of course, after all that I had done for him,
and was doing for him. It is mean enough, surely, for a man to beg, and
from a woman; but to threaten afterwards. Ach! But I think, my dear, it
is checkmate to him this time. All along the line the only proof that is
of there being any friendliness towards him from this house points to me.
And moreover, my dear, I have a little plan in my head that will tend to
show him up even better, in case he may ever try to annoy us. Look at me
when next he is here. I mean to do a little play-acting which will
astonish him, I can tell you, if it doesn't frighten him out of the house
altogether. But we won't talk of that yet. You will understand when you
see it!' Her eyes twinkled and her mouth shut with a loud snap as she
spoke.

After a few minutes of repose, which was like a glimpse of heaven to
Stephen's aching heart, she spoke again:

'There was something else that troubled you more than even this. You
said you would tell me when you were able to speak of it . . . Why not
spe