your position is entirely altered now. It would not
be proper for you to live in this great house alone, with no company but
that of servants. Mr. Fordyce would but poorly fulfil his promise to
your poor uncle if he entertained such an idea for a moment. If you are
to live at Bourhill at all, you must have a responsible person to live
with you. But we had other plans for you.'

'Tell me what plans, please,' said Gladys, with that simple directness
which made evasion of any question impossible to her, or to any
conversing with her.

'Mr. Fordyce and I have thought that it would be to your advantage to
winter abroad. I have an old school-friend, who married a French
officer, and who is now left widowed in poor circumstances in Bruges.
You would be most happy and comfortable with Madame Bonnemain. She is
one of the sweetest and most charming of women, musical and cultured;
her companionship would be invaluable to you.'

'I do not think I wish to go abroad, meanwhile. Would you and Mr.
Fordyce think it ungrateful if I refused to go?'

'Well, no,' replied Mrs. Fordyce, though with a slight accent of
surprise. 'But can you tell me what is your objection?'

'I want to come here and live just as soon as it is possible,' said
Gladys, looking round the dismantled house with wistful, affectionate
eyes. 'I want to have my very own house; I can never feel that it is
mine until I live in it; and I have many plans.'

'Would you mind telling me some of them?' said Mrs. Fordyce rather
anxiously. She was a very practical person--attentive to the laws of
conventionality, and she did not feel at all sure of the views
entertained by her husband's ward.

'I want to be a help to people, if I can,' said Gladys, 'especially to
working girls in Glasgow--to those poor creatures who sew in the garrets
and cellars. I know of them. I have seen them at their work, and it is
dreadful to me to think of them. Sometimes this summer, when I have been
so happy, I have thought of some I know, and reproached myself with my
own selfish forgetfulness. You see, if I do not help where I _know_ of
the need, I am not a good steward of the money God has given me.'

'But tell me, my dear child, how would you propose to help?' asked Mrs.
Fordyce, inwardly touched, but wishing to understand clearly what Gladys
wished and intended to do. There seemed no indecision or wavering about
her, she spoke with all the calm dignity of a woman who knew and owned
her res