on't know what you're saying."

"I know exactly what I'm saying; and I mean exactly what I say. There
have been days when I've suspected that she's pinching in the essentials
of meat and drink."

"But she has pupils."

"She has two; but they must pay her very little. It's dreadful for
people who have as much as we to have to look on at the tragedy of
others going hungry--"

"Good Lord! Don't pile it on."

Striding to a window, he stood with his back to her, staring out.

"I'm not piling it on, Derek. I wish I were."

"Well, can't we do something? If it's as you say, they mustn't be left
like that."

"It's a very delicate matter. The mother-in-law has money of her own;
but Diane has nothing. It's difficult to see what to do, except to find
her a situation."

"Then find her one."

"I have; but you won't take her."

"In any case," he said, in the aggressive tone of a man putting forward
a weak final argument, "you couldn't leave the mother-in-law all alone."

"I'd take her," Lucilla said, promptly. "You have no idea how much I
want her, in this big, empty house. It's getting to be more than I can
do to take care of Aunt Regina all alone."

Minutes went by in silence; but when Derek turned from the window and
spoke, Lucilla shrank with constitutional fear from the responsibility
she had assumed.

"Go and ring them up, and tell young Mrs. Eveleth I'm waiting to see her
here."

"But, Derek, are you sure--?"

"I'm quite sure. Please go and ring them up."

"But, Derek, you're so startling. Have you reflected?"

"It's quite decided. Please do as I say, and call them up."

"But if anything were to go wrong in the future you'd think it was my--"

"I shall think nothing of the kind. Don't say any more about it, but
please go and tell Diane I'm waiting."

The use of this name being more convincing to Lucilla than pledges of
assurance, she sped away to do his bidding; but it was not till after
she had gone that Derek recognized the fact that the word had passed his
lips.

VII

During the half-hour before the arrival of Mrs. Eveleth and Diane, Miss
Lucilla's tact allowed Derek to have the library to himself. He was thus
enabled to co-ordinate his thoughts, and enact the laws which must
henceforth regulate his domestic life. It was easy to silence the voice
that for an instant accused him of taking this step in order to provide
Diane Eveleth with a home; for Dorothea's need of a strong hand over h