e (caught possibly from the Liberal Club),
that Janet was indubitably a nice girl and a fine girl. He would not
admit that he was afraid of her, and that despite all theoretical
argufying, he deemed her above him in rank.

And if he had known the full truth, he might have regretted that he had
not caused the lair to be furnished with a trap-door by means of which
the timid could sink into the earth.

The truth was that Janet had called purposely to inspect Edwin at
leisure. "The Light of Asia" was a mere poetical pretext. "The Light
of Asia" might as easily have been ordered at Hanbridge, where her
father and brothers ordered all their books--in fact, more easily.
Janet, with all her niceness, with all the reality of her immense
good-nature, loved as well as anybody a bit of chicane where a man was
concerned. Janet's eyes could twinkle as mischievously as her quiet
mother's. Mr Orgreave having in the last eight months been in
professional relations with Darius and Edwin, the Orgreave household had
begun discussing Edwin again. Mr Orgreave spoke of him favourably.
Mrs Orgreave said that he looked the right sort of youth, but that he
had a peculiar manner. Janet said that she should not be surprised if
there was something in him. Janet said also that his sister Clara was
an impossible piece of goods, and that his sister Maggie was born an old
maid. One of her brothers then said that that was just what was the
matter with Edwin too! Mr Orgreave protested that he wasn't so sure of
that, and that occasionally Edwin would say things that were really
rather good. This stimulated Mrs Orgreave's curiosity, and she
suggested that her husband should invite the young man to their house.
Whereupon Mr Orgreave pessimistically admitted that he did not think
Edwin could be enticed. And Janet, piqued, said, "If that's all, I'll
have him here in a week." They were an adventurous family, always ready
for anything, always on the look-out for new sources of pleasure, full
of zest in life. They liked novelties, and hospitality was their chief
hobby. They made fun of nearly every body, but it was not mean fun.

Such, and not "The Light of Asia," was the cause of Janet's visit.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

THREE.

Be it said to Edwin's shame that she would have got no further with the
family plot that morning, had it not been for the chivalry of Stifford.
Having allowed his eye