gone down to the river, and there, thinking the matter over quietly,
amid the soothing influences of grey sky, grey water, and green grass,
he gradually perceived that a letter would convey all that he felt quite
well, perhaps better than any verbal expressions of joy, and as he would
in any case only stay a few hours in town the long journey seemed hardly
worth while. He sent a letter, therefore, that very evening--a kind,
brotherly letter, in which, after heartily congratulating his dear
little sister, he said that it would be necessary for her to go over to
Germany, see the lawyer, and take possession of her property. When she
had done that, and made all arrangements as to the future payment of the
income derived from the estate, she would of course come back to them;
for Estcourt was always to be her home, and now that she was independent
she would no longer be obliged to be wherever Susie was, but would, he
hoped, come to him, and they could go fishing together,--"and there's
nothing to beat fishing," concluded Peter, "if you want peace."

But Anna did not want peace; at least, not that kind of peace just at
that moment. Sitting in a punt was not what she wanted. She was thrilled
by the love of her less fortunate fellow-creatures, and the sense of
power to help them, and the longing to go and do it. What she really
wanted of Peter was that he should take her to Germany and help her
through the formalities; for before his letter arrived she too had seen
that that was the first thing to be done.

Of this, however, he did not write a word. She thought he must have
forgotten, so natural did it appear to her that her brother should go
with her; and she wrote him a little note, asking when he would be able
to get away. She received a long letter in reply, full of regrets,
excuses, and good reasons, which she read wonderingly. Had she been
selfish, or was Peter selfish? She thought it all out carefully, and
found that it was she who had been selfish to expect Peter, always a
hater of business and a lover of quiet, to go all that way and worry
himself with tiresome money arrangements. Besides, perhaps he was not
feeling well. She knew he suffered from rheumatism; and when you have
rheumatism the mere thought of a long journey is appalling.

Susie, whose head was very clear on all matters concerning money, had
also recognised the necessity of Anna's going to Germany, and had also
regarded Peter as the most natural compan