nion.

The game of golf was played as arranged, but though Harold came off
victor it was too close a contest to be agreeable to his vanity, or to
increase his liking for his opponent, while Mr Chester confided to his
wife that he could not understand Rhoda's infatuation for such a
remarkably unattractive companion.

"If it had been that sweet little Miss Everett, now, she might have
stayed for a year, and been welcome, but I confess I shall be glad when
this girl takes her departure. She makes me quite nervous, sitting
blinking at me with those little eyes. I have a sort of feeling that
she is laughing to herself when she seems most serious."

"Oh, she could never laugh at you, dear. She couldn't be so audacious!"
declared Mrs Chester fondly; "but I can't bring myself to like her, and
where her cleverness lies is a mystery to me. I never met a more
ignorant girl. She can neither sew nor knit nor crochet, and the
remarks she made in the market yesterday would have disgraced a child of
ten. I pity the man who gets _her_ for his wife!"

But, as we have seen, Thomasina had other ideas than matrimony for her
own future. As she drove to the station by Rhoda's side she fell into
an unusual fit of silence, and emerging from it said slowly:

"I'm glad I've seen your home, Fuzzy. It's very beautiful, and very
happy. You are all so fond of one another, and so nice and kind, that
it's a regular ideal family. I think you are a lucky girl. I like all
your people very much, though they don't like me!"

Rhoda exclaimed sharply, but Tom's smile was without a shadow of offence
as she insisted--

"My dear, I know it! Don't perjure yourself for the sake of politeness.
I'm sorry, but--I'm accustomed to it. Strangers _don't_ like me, and
it's not a mite of use trying to ingratiate myself. I did all I knew
when I came here. I wore my best clothes, I tried to behave prettily,
and you see, dead failure, as usual! You needn't look doleful, for no
doubt it's all for the best. If I were beauteous and fascinating I
might be distracted from my work, whereas now I shall devote myself to
it with every scrap of my strength. Girls love me, and I love them, so
I'll give up my life for their service. We have all our vocation, and
it would be a happier world if everyone were as well satisfied as I am.
`In work, in work, in work always, let my young days be spent.' Bother
it! Here's the station already, and I haven't said half I