s playing on the floor. The mother caught it up
irritably, and began lamenting the necessity of washing its dirty little
hands and face before packing it off to bed. In a minute or two she went
up stairs to discharge these duties. Between her and Richard there was
never much exchange of words.

'How are you feeling, Jane?' Mutimer inquired, taking a seat opposite
her.

'Better--oh, very much better! The cough hasn't been not near so
troublesome these last nights.'

'Mind you don't do too much work. You ought to have put your sewing
aside by now.'

'Oh, this is only a bit of my own. I'm sorry to say there isn't very
much of the other kind to do yet.'

'Comes in slowly, does it?' Richard asked, without appearance of much
interest.

'It'll be better soon, I dare say. People want time, you see, to get to
know of us.'

Richard's eyes wandered.

'Have you finished the port wine yet?' he asked, as if to fill a gap.

'What an idea! Why, there's four whole bottles left, and one as I've
only had three glasses out of.'

'Emma was dreadfully disappointed when you didn't come as usual,' she
said presently.

Richard nodded.

'Have you got into your house?' she asked timidly.

'It isn't quite ready yet; but I've been seeing about the furnishing.'

Jane dreamed upon the word. It was her habit to escape from the
suffering weakness of her own life to joy in the lot which awaited her
sister.

'And Emma will have a room all to herself?'

Jane had read of ladies' boudoirs; it was her triumph to have won a
promise from Richard that Emma should have such a chamber.

'How is it going to be furnished? Do tell me.'

Richard's imagination was not active in the spheres of upholstery.

'Well, I can't yet say,' he replied, as if with an effort to rouse
himself. 'How would you like it to be?'

Jane had ever before her mind a vague vision of bright-hued drapery, of
glistening tables and chairs, of nobly patterned carpet, setting which
her heart deemed fit for that priceless jewel, her dear sister. But to
describe it all in words was a task beyond her. And the return of Emma
herself saved her from the necessity of trying.

Hearing her enter the house, Richard went up to meet Emma, and they sat
together in the sitting-room. This room was just as it had been in Mrs.
Mutimer's day, save for a few ornaments from the mantelpiece, which the
old lady could not be induced to leave behind her. Here customers were
to be received--whe