ay; and you will be able to breakfast here at half-past
ten as we do."

He looked at her, scarcely believing the testimony of his own ears. She
saw his doubt, and continued quietly enough, though still with that
lurking smile in her sweet eyes. "You must not find fault with them if
they are badly grounded; or rather you must find fault with me, for I
have taught them nearly everything they know. They are good boys, if
they are a little unruly now and then. Here is my uncle coming from the
house. You had really better wait and see him, will you not, Mr.
Stretton? I will leave you to talk business together."

She rose and moved away. Stretton stood like a statue, passionately
desiring to speak, yet scarcely knowing what to say. It was only when
she gave him a slight, parting smile over her shoulder that he found his
voice.

"I can't thank you," he said, hoarsely. She paused for a moment, and he
spoke again, with long gaps between the sentences. "You don't know what
you have done for me.... I have something to live for now.... God bless
you."

He turned abruptly towards the sea, and Elizabeth, after hesitating for
a moment, went silently to meet her uncle. She was more touched than she
liked to acknowledge to herself by the young man's emotion; and she felt
all the pleasurable glow that usually accompanies the doing of a good
deed.

"Perhaps we have saved him from great misery--poverty and starvation,"
she mused to herself. "I am sure that he is good; he has such a fine
face, and he speaks so frankly about his troubles. Of course, as my
uncle says, he may be an adventurer; but I do not think he is. We shall
soon be able to judge of his character."

"Well, Betty," said Mr. Heron, as he came up to her, "what success? Have
you dismissed the young man in disgrace, or are we to let him try to
instruct these noisy lads every morning?"

"I think you had better try him, uncle."

"My dear Elizabeth, it is not for me to decide the question. You know
very well that I could not do what you insist upon doing for us all----"

"Don't tell Mr. Stretton that, please, uncle."

Mr. Heron stopped short, and looked at her almost piteously.

"Dear child, how can I go on pretending to be the master of this house,
and hiring tutors for my children, when the expense comes out of your
purse and not out of mine?"

"My purse is wide enough," said Elizabeth, laughing. "Dear uncle, I
should hate this money if I might not use it in the wa