it would
distress her if she could no longer live with you. And the fact is'--he
bent forward and smiled sadly--'I'm sure I may speak freely to you,
Mrs. Byass--but the fact is, that I'm very doubtful indeed whether she
could be happy if she lived with Mrs. Snowdon. I suppose there's always
more or less difficulty where step-children are concerned, and in this
case--well, I fear the incompatibility would be too great. To be sure,
it places me in a difficult position. Jane's very young--very young;
only just turned seventeen, poor child! Out of the question for her to
live with strangers. I had some hopes--I wonder whether I ought to
speak of it? You know Mr. Kirkwood?'

'Yes, indeed. I can't tell you how surprised I was, Mr. Snowdon. And
there seems to be such a mystery about it, too.'

Bessie positively glowed with delight in such confidential talk. It was
her dread that Jane's arrival might put an end to it before everything
was revealed.

'A mystery, you may well say, Mrs. Byass. I think highly of Mr.
Kirkwood, very highly; but really in this affair! It's almost too
painful to talk about--to _you_.'

Bessie blushed, as becomes the Englishwoman of mature years when she is
gracefully supposed to be ignorant of all it most behoves her to know.

'Well, well; he is on the point of marrying a young person with whom I
should certainly not like my daughter to associate--fortunately there
is little chance of that. You were never acquainted with Miss Hewett?'

'Ye--yes. A long time ago.'

'Well, well; we must be charitable. You know that she is dreadfully
disfigured?'

'Disfigured? Jane didn't say a word about that. She only told me that
Mr. Kirkwood was going to marry her, and I didn't like to ask too many
questions. I hadn't even heard as she was at home.'

Joseph related to her the whole story, whilst Bessie fidgeted with
satisfaction.

'I thought,' he added, 'that you could perhaps throw some light on the
mystery. We can only suppose that Kirkwood has acted from the highest
motives, but I really think--well, well, we won't talk of it any more.
I was led to this subject from speaking of this poor girl's position. I
wonder whether it will be possible for her to continue to live in your
friendly care Mrs. Byass?'

'Oh, I shall be only too glad, Mr. Snowdon!'

'Now how kind that is of you! Of course she wouldn't want more than two
rooms.'

'Of course not.'

Joseph was going further into details, when a latc