ose," and arched her
fine brows expressively as she asked how long a lease I proposed to
take, "Or, rather, I should say, how _short_?"

Now I had myself inclined to a short lease with the option of staying
on, but opposition stiffened my back, and I there and then decided to go
and look at several possibilities which I had hitherto put aside as
impracticable because they had to be taken for a term of three to five
years. Bridget would go with me--dear, lawless, laughter-loving
Bridget, who entered into the play with refreshing zest. Bridget had
the real characteristic Irish faculty of looking upon life as an amusing
game, and the more novel and unorthodox the game was, the better she was
pleased. "Sure it's your own face! It's for you to do what you please
with it!" was the easy comment with which she accepted my proposed
disguise. She undertook to do most of the work of the flat without a
qualm, and shed an easy tear of emotion over the sorrows and
difficulties which it was to be my mission to reduce. "Oh, the poor
creatures! Will they be starving around us, Miss Evelyn, and the little
children crying out for bread?"

"N-not exactly that," I explained. "I want to work among gentlefolk,
Bridget--poor gentlefolk, who suffer most of all, because they are too
proud to ask for help. But they will probably be short of time, and
service, and probably of strength, too, and when I get to know them,
they will let me help them in these ways, though they would not accept
my money--"

Bridget looked sceptical.

"I wouldn't put it past them!"

I laughed, and dropped the subject.

"Oh, well, time will show. Meantime you understand, don't you, Bridget,
that they are not _cheerful_ places that we are going to see? Cheerful
positions in London mean big rents, and I mean to live among people who
have to count every penny several times over, and try hard to make it
into a sixpenny bit. You and I will have sunshine and light at
Pastimes--you won't mind putting up with dullness for part of the year?"

"What would be the good of minding? You'd go, whether or not, now you'd
got your head set!" returned Bridget bluntly. She added after a pause,
"And besides, we'll be getting our own way. I'm thinking we shall be
glad of the change. It's not as much as a thought of your own will be
left to you, with Mrs Fane by your side."

"You are entirely wrong, Bridget, and it is not your place to make
remarks about Mrs Fane. Ple