longer young, had a face which was pleasant to look upon,
because it expressed refinement and kindliness as well as intellectual
power, and whose dress, though plain, was severely neat, well-fitting,
and of rich material. In fact, Miss Brooke was so unlike anything in the
shape of womankind that Lesley had ever encountered, that the girl could
only gaze at her in speechless amazement, and wonder whether _she_ was
expected to develop into something of the same sort!

She could not deny, however, that her aunt was very good-natured. Miss
Brooke helped her to undress, put her to bed, unpacked her boxes in
about half the time that a maid would have taken to do the work; then
she brought her something to eat and drink, and waited on her with the
care of a woman with a truly kindly heart. Lesley began to take courage
and to ask questions.

"I suppose I shall see my father again to-morrow morning," she said.

"About mid-day you may see him," Miss Brooke answered, cheerfully. "He
will be out till two or three in the morning, you know; and of course he
can't be disturbed very early. You must remember that we keep the house
very quiet until eleven or twelve, when he generally comes down. He
breakfasts then, and goes out."

Lesley was mystified. Why did her father keep such extraordinary hours?
She had not the slightest notion that these were the usual arrangements
of a journalist's life. She thought that he must be very thoughtless,
very self-indulgent, even very wicked. Surely her mother had been more
than justified in leaving him. She laid her head upon the pillow,
feeling rather inclined to cry.

Miss Brooke had not much of a clue to her emotions; but she was trying
hard to fathom what was passing in the girl's mind, and she came very
near the mark. She stooped down and kissed her affectionately.

"I daresay you feel lonely and strange, my dear," she said; "but you
must remember that you have come to your own home, and that we belong to
you, and you to us. So you must put up with us for a time, and you
may--eventually--come to like us, you know. Stranger things than that
have happened before now."

Lesley put one arm round her aunt's neck, undeterred by Miss Brooke's
laugh and the little struggle she made to get away.

"Thank you," she said, "for being so kind. I am sorry I cried when I
came in."

"You were hysterical and overwrought. I shall tell your father so."

"You think he was vexed?"

"I suppose," said Miss