?' Thyrza asked,
timidly taking it from him. 'I should like to remember it.'

He told her, as well as he could. Thyrza stood in thought for a moment,
then just opened the pages. Egremont watched her.

'I wonder whether I shall ever be able to read that?' she said, in an
under-voice.

'Oh yes, I'm sure you will.'

'And I've to stand it here?'

'Just there. You shall put all the volumes in their place, one after
the other. There are eight of them.'

He brought them altogether, and one by one she took them from him. Then
they went back to the case again, and there was a short silence.

'Gilbert's going to take me to a concert to-night, Mr. Egremont,'
Thyrza said, looking at him shyly.

'Is he? You'll enjoy that. What concert?'

'It's at a place called St. James's Hall.'

'Oh yes! You'll hear admirable music.'

'I've never been to a concert before. But when I was at Eastbourne I
heard a lady play the piano. I _did_ enjoy that!'

Egremont started.

'Was it Miss Newthorpe?' he asked, looking at her without a smile.

'Yes, that was her name.'

She met his look. Walter half turned away, then bent down to the books
again.

'I know her,' he said. 'She plays well.'

He took a couple of volumes, and went with them to the shelves, where
he placed them, without thought, next to the Gibbon. But in a moment he
noticed the title, and moved them to another place. He had become
absent. Thyrza, remaining by the case, followed his movements with her
eyes. As he came back, he asked:

'Did you like Mrs. Ormonde?'

'Yes. She was very kind to me.'

To him it seemed an inadequate reply, and strengthened his fear that
Mrs. Ormonde had not shown all the warmth he would have desired. Yet,
as it proved, she had asked Annabel to play for Thyrza. Thyrza, too,
felt that she ought to say more, but all at once she found a difficulty
in speaking. Her thoughts had strayed.

'I think I must go now,' she said, 'or I shall miss my sister.'

'In that case, I won't delay you. I shall open one or two more of these
boxes, then go somewhere for lunch. Good-bye!'

Thyrza said good-bye rather hurriedly, and without raising her face.

It happened that just then Mr. Bower was coming along Brook Street. He
did not usually leave the works at mid-day, but to-day an exceptional
occasion took him to Paradise Street in the dinner-hour. Thyrza came
forth from the library just as he neared the corner; she did not see
him, but Bower at once obse