somewhat sad
(she thought), but there was a drawing down of the corners of it that
seemed to make gentle fun of its sadness. Janet, perhaps out of her
good-nature, liked his restless, awkward movements and the gesture of
his hands, of which the articulations were too prominent, and the
finger-nails too short.

"Tom reads rather a lot of poetry," said Janet. "That's my eldest
brother."

"That might justify you," said Edwin doubtfully.

They both laughed. And as with Janet, so with Edwin, when he laughed,
all the kindest and honestest part of him seemed to rise into his face.

"But if you don't supply new books any more?"

"Oh!" Edwin stuttered, blushing slightly. "That's nothing. I shall be
very pleased to get it for you specially, Miss Orgreave. It's father
that decided--only last month--that the new book business was more
trouble than it's worth. It was--in a way; but I'm sorry, myself, we've
given it up, poor as it was. Of course there are no book-buyers in this
town, especially now old Lawton's dead. But still, what with one thing
or another, there was generally some book on order, and I used to see
them. Of course there's no money in it. But still... Father says that
people buy less books than they used to--but he's wrong there." Edwin
spoke with calm certainty. "I've shown him he's wrong by our
order-book, but he wouldn't see it." Edwin smiled, with a general mild
indulgence for fathers.

"Well," said Janet, "I'll ask Tom first."

"No trouble whatever to us to order it for you, I assure you. I can get
it down by return of post."

"It's very good of you," said Janet, genuinely persuading herself for
the moment that Edwin was quite exceeding the usual bounds of
complaisance.

She moved to depart.

"Father told me to tell you if I saw you that the glazing will be all
finished this morning," said she.

"Up yonder?" Edwin jerked his head to indicate the south.

And Janet delicately confirmed his assumption with a slight declension
of her waving hat.

"Oh! Good!" Edwin murmured.

Janet held out her hand, to be wrung again, and assured him of her
gratitude for his offer of taking trouble about the book; and he assured
her that it would not be trouble but pleasure. He accompanied her to
the doorway.

"I think I must come up and have a look at that glazing this afternoon,"
he said, as she stood on the pavement.

She nodded, smiling benevolence and appreciation, and departed round