father--or step-stepfather, if there is such a word--would
consent to emancipate me if he could do so with the proper
ceremonial--the slap on the cheek."

The allusion was lost on Miss Blanchet.

"Mr. Saulsbury is a stern man indeed," she said, "but very good; that we
must admit."

"All good men, it seems, are hard, and all soft men are bad."

"What of Mr. Augustus Sheppard?" Miss Blanchet asked softly. "How will
he take your going away?"

"I have not asked him, Mary. But I can tell you if you care to know. He
will take it with perfect composure. He has about as much capacity for
foolish affection as your hearth-broom there."

"I think you are mistaken, Minola--I do indeed. I think that man is
really----"

"Well. Is really what?"

"You won't be angry if I say it?"

Minola seemed as if she were going to be angry, but she looked into the
little poetess's kindly, wistful eyes, and broke into a laugh.

"I couldn't be angry with you, Mary, if I had ten times my capacity for
anger--and that would be a goodly quantity! Well, what is Mr. Sheppard
really, as you were going to say?"

"Really in love with you, dear."

"You kind and believing little poetess--full of faith in simple true
love and all the rest of it! Mr. Sheppard likes what he considers a
respectable connection in Keeton. Failing in one chance he will find
another, and there is an end of that."

"I don't think so," Miss Blanchet said gravely. "Well, we shall see."

"We shall not see him any more. We shall live a glorious, lonely,
independent life. I shall study humanity from some lofty garret window
among the stars. London shall be my bark and my bride, as the old songs
about the Rovers used to say. All the weaknesses of humanity shall
reveal themselves to me in the people next door to us and over the way.
I'll study in the British Museum! I'll spend hours in the National
Gallery! I'll lie under the trees in Epping Forest! I _think_ I'll go to
the gallery of a theatre! _Liberte, liberte, cherie!_" And Miss Grey
proceeded to chant from the "Marseillaise" with splendid energy as she
walked up and down the room with clasped hands of mock heroic passion.

"You said something about a man and a brother just now, dear," Miss
Blanchet gently interposed. "I have something to tell you about a man
and a brother. _My_ brother is back again in London."

Miss Blanchet made this communication in the tone of one who is trying
to seem as if it would be welcome.