he door of the room.

'Oh, Mr. Kirkwood,' said Jane, 'I'm so sorry, but grandfather had to go
out with a gentleman.'

And she waited, looking at him, a gentle warmth on her face.

CHAPTER XVI

DIALOGUE AND COMMENT

'Will it be late before he comes back?' asked Sidney, his smile of
greeting shadowed with disappointment.

'Not later than half-past ten, he said.'

Sidney turned his face to the stairs. The homeward prospect was dreary
after that glimpse of the familiar mom through the doorway. The breach
of habit discomposed him, and something more positive strengthened his
reluctance to be gone. It was not his custom to hang in hesitancy and
court chance by indirectness of speech; recognising and admitting his
motives, he said simply:

'I should like to stay a little, if you will let me--if I shan't be in
your way?'

'Oh no! Please come in. I'm only sewing.'

There were two round-backed wooden chairs in the room; one stood on
each side of the fireplace, and between them, beside the table, Jane
always had her place on a small chair of the ordinary comfortless kind.
She seated herself as usual, and Sidney took his familiar position,
with the vacant chair opposite. Snowdon and he were accustomed to smoke
their pipes whilst conversing, but this evening Sidney dispensed with
tobacco.

It was very quiet here. On the floor below dwelt at present two sisters
who kept themselves alive (it is quite inaccurate to use any other
phrase in such instances) by doing all manner of skilful needlework;
they were middle-aged women, gentle-natured, and so thoroughly subdued
to the hopelessness of their lot that scarcely ever could even their
footfall be heard as they went up and down stairs; their voices were
always sunk to a soft murmur. Just now no infant wailing came from the
Byasses' regions. Kirkwood enjoyed a sense of restfulness, intenser,
perhaps, for the momentary disappointment he had encountered. He had no
desire to talk; enough for a few minutes to sit and watch Jane's hand
as it moved backwards and forwards with the needle.

'I went to see Pennyloaf as I came back from work,' Jane said at
length, just looking up.

'Did you? Do things seem to be any better?'

'Not much, I'm afraid. Mr. Kirkwood, don't you think you might do
something? If you tried again with her husband?'

'The fact is,' replied Sidney, 'I'm so afraid of doing more harm than
good.'

'You think--But then perhaps that's just what _I'm_ doi