s familiarly
known as Jim. "Being aware of your desire to get rid of the furniture,
I have arranged with a man in Howlin' Cove to take it at a valuation.
He comes out to value it this evening, so you've nothing to do but pack
up your trunks. With the aid of Madge and Jim we'll manage that in no
time."

"Sure we'll do it in less than no time!" cried Jim, who was a true son
of Erin.

"You see, mother," continued Phil, "my leave extends only to four days.
I have therefore ordered a coach--a sort of Noah's Ark--the biggest
thing I could hire at the Cove--to take you and all your belongings to
the railway tomorrow evening. We'll travel all night, and so get to
London on Thursday. May expects you. May and I have settled it all, so
you needn't look thunderstruck. If I hadn't known for certain that
you'd be glad to come and live with us I would not have arranged it at
all. If I had not known equally well that your fluttering bird of a
heart would have been totally upset at the prospect, I would have
consulted you beforehand. As it is, the die is cast. Your fate is
fixed. Nothing can reverse the decrees that have gone forth, so it's as
well to make your mind easy and go to work."

Mrs Maylands wisely submitted. Three days afterwards she found herself
in London, in a very small but charming cottage in an out-of-the-way
corner of Nottinghill.

It was a perfect _bijou_ of a cottage; very small--only two stories--
with ceilings that a tall man could touch, and a trellis-work porch at
the front door, and a little garden all to itself, and an ivy wall that
shut out the curious public, but did not interfere with the sky, a patch
of which gleamed through between two great palatial residences hard by,
like a benignant eye.

"This is our new home, mother, and we have got it at such a low rent
from Sir James Clubley, our landlord, that your income, coupled with
May's salary and mine, will enable us easily to make the two ends meet,
if we manage economically."

As he spoke, Phil seized the poker, and, with an utter disregard of the
high price of coal, caused the fire to roar joyously up the chimney.

It was a brilliant winter day. White gems sparkled on the branches of
the trees, and Jim was already commencing that course of romping which
had, up to that date, strewn his path through life with wreck and ruin.
Madge was investigating the capabilities of cupboards and larders, under
the care of a small maid-of-all-work.