adow of which the three were reposing, and that it was no other than
Miss Nancarrow, this time unaccompanied. Bunce did not notice her till
she stood before him, then he jumped to his feet.

'Don't disturb yourself, Mr. Bunce,' said Totty, with her usual
self-command. 'I'm only going to have a talk with Nelly, that's all.'

She sat down on the grass by the little one, and began a grave dialogue
on the subject of certain ailments from which the doll had recently
recovered.

It had been nursed through measles--Nelly having had them not long
ago--and its face still showed signs of the disease.

Jack was not disposed to talk. His discretion had been impugned, and at
Jack's age one feels anything of that kind shrewdly. Letting his eyes
wander about the portion of park that lay before them, he saw at a
little distance the nucleus of a religious meeting. At any other time
he would have scorned to pay attention to such a phenomenon; at present
he was glad of any opportunity of asserting his independence. He knew
his father ridiculed prayer-meetings, consequently he rose and began to
walk in the direction of the group of people.

'Where are you going, Jack?' cried Bunce.

'Only for a walk. I'll come back.'

His father acquiesced. Totty suspended her talk and gazed after him for
a moment. Then she turned to Bunce.

'So you've found rooms, Mr. Bunce?' she said, with a piece of sorrel
between her lips.

'Yes, I've got two that'll suit us, I think.'

He mentioned where they were, and made a few remarks about them.

'If there's anything I can do to help you,' said Totty, looking at
Jack's distant figure, 'you'll tell me, I know. There might be some
sewing. I've got plenty of time. Window blinds, and those things.'

'Well, I've made arrangements about all that with the landlady,' Bunce
replied, in some embarrassment. 'I thank you very much, Miss Nancarrow,
all the same.'

'That's too bad of you. You knew very well I'd have been glad to help.
Tell your father he's very soon forgetting his old friends, Nelly.'

She drew the child to her as she spoke, and kissed her cheek.

'You know very well I shan't do that, Miss Nancarrow,' said Bunce,
glancing at her. 'Whoever else, I'm not likely to forget you.'

'I'm not so sure of that. Are you, Nelly?'

He said nothing. Totty let her eyes catch a glimpse of his face. He was
looking down, and again grubbing up grass.

'I shall be very sorry if you don't come and see the child