standing, his arms
resting on the back.

'It's a very short time since I myself knew of it,' he continued. 'Till
then, I as little imagined as you did that--' He paused, then resumed
more quickly, 'But it explains many things which I had always
understood in a simpler way.'

'I feel, too, that I know grandfather much better than I did,' Jane
said. 'He's always been thinking about the time when I should be old
enough to hear what plans he'd made for me. I do so hope he really
trusts me, Mr. Kirkwood! I don't know whether I speak about it as he
wishes. It isn't easy to say all I think, but I mean to do my best to
be what he--'

'He knows that very well. Don't be anxious; he feels that all his hopes
have been realised in you.'

There was silence. Jane made a pretence of using her needle, and Sidney
watched her hands.

'He spoke to you of a lady called Mrs. Lant?' were his next words.

'Yes. He just mentioned her.'

'Are you going to see her soon?'

'I don't know. Have _you_ seen her?'

'No. But I believe she's a woman you could soon he friendly with. I
hope your grandfather will ask her to come here before long.'

'I'm rather afraid of strangers.'

'No doubt,' said the other, smiling. 'But you'll get over that. I shall
do my best to persuade Mr. Snowdon to make you acquainted with her.'

Jane drew in her breath uneasily.

'She won't want me to know other people, I hope?'

'Oh, if she does, they'll be kind and nice and easy to talk to.'

Jane raised her eyes and said half-laughingly:

'I feel as if I was very childish, and that makes me feel it still
more. Of course, if it's necessary, I'll do my best to talk to
strangers. But they won't expect too much of me, at first? I mean, if
they find me a little slow, they won't be impatient?'

'You mustn't think that hard things are going to be asked of you.
You'll never be required to say or do anything that you haven't already
said and done many a time, quite naturally. Why, it's some time since
you began the kind of work of which your grandfather has been speaking.'

'I have begun it? How?'

'Who has been such a good friend to Pennyloaf, and helped her as nobody
else could have done?'

'Oh, but that's nothing!'

Sidney was on the point of replying! but suddenly altered his
intention. He raised himself from the leaning attitude, and took his
hat.

'Well, we'll talk about it another time,' he said carelessly. 'I can't
stop long to-night, so I'll go up