arry Dr. Plumstead, and so the secret chamber had held
nothing but a shrine ever since, only it made him a little kinder to the
motherless children than he otherwise might have been.

"It would be a tremendous expense to send you all such a long distance,"
he said, still speaking for the sake of gaining time, yet disposed to
regard the proposal as a really practical way in which to solve the
problem of their future.

"It could be done for about seventy pounds, I think, if we went
steerage; and it is quite comfortable for people who do not mind
roughing it, and as we have not been used to any sort of luxury, of
course we shall not miss it," said Sylvia.

"I could not allow you to go as steerage passengers," replied Mr.
Runciman.

"We would much rather go as steerage passengers than not go at all,"
murmured Nealie.

"I will think about it and let you know," he said, but with so much
giving way in his tone that they burst into a chorus of imploring.

"Please, please decide now and write to tell Father that we are coming.
We are quite ready to start by the next boat, and it is so lonely living
at Beechleigh now that Aunt Judith is dead," pleaded Nealie, silencing
the others with a wave of her hand.

If one of the others had spoken then, Mr. Runciman would certainly have
refused, but because of her likeness to the dead he had to give way. He
reflected, too, that if he wrote the letter now it would be impossible
for him to draw back from his word, however angry his wife might be when
she heard what he had done.

"Very well, I will write to your father to-night," he said.

"Do not leave it until this evening; you might forget; there are so many
other things for you to remember," said Nealie softly. "If you will
write the letter now we will post it as we go through Braybrook Lees;
then it will be just in time for the outgoing mail. Tell dear Father
that we are coming by the next boat. We will be ready somehow."

"Yes, please, please, dear Mr. Runciman, write now," said Sylvia,
leaning forward in her most engaging manner, while even Ducky smiled
upon him, clasping her hands entreatingly, just as Sylvia and Nealie
were doing.

"Very well; but it will have to be a short letter, for the cart is
coming round in twenty minutes to take me over to Aldington," he said,
giving way before their entreaties and pulling out his watch to see what
the time was; and then he touched the bell at his side, saying to
Nealie, as Robert