anyone outside. She stretched out her hand.

"Jamie, if you like you may kiss me."

She offered her powdered cheek, and James, rather astonished, pressed it
with his lips.

"I will always be a mother to you. You can depend on me whatever
happens.... Now go away, there's a good boy."

She watched him as he walked down the garden, and then sighed deeply,
wiping away a tear from the corner of her eyes.

"Poor boy!" she murmured.

Mary was surprised, when she came home, to find her mother quite
affectionate and tender. Mrs. Clibborn, indeed, intoxicated with her
triumph, could afford to be gracious to a fallen rival.

XV

A Few days later Mary was surprised to receive a little note from Mr.
Dryland:

"MY DEAR MISS CLIBBORN,--With some trepidation I take up my pen to
address you on a matter which, to me at least, is of the very
greatest importance. We have so many sympathies in common that my
meaning will hardly escape you. I daresay you will find my
diffidence ridiculous, but, under the circumstances, I think it is
not unpardonable. It will be no news to you when I confess that I
am an exceptionally shy man, and that must be my excuse in sending
you this letter. In short, I wish to ask you to grant me a brief
interview; we have so few opportunities of seeing one another in
private that I can find no occasion of saying to you what I wish.
Indeed, for a long period my duty has made it necessary for me to
crush my inclination. Now, however, that things have taken a
different turn, I venture, as I said, to ask you to give me a few
minutes' conversation.--I am, my dear Miss Clibborn, your very
sincere,

"THOMAS DRYLAND.

"P.S.--I open this letter to say that I have just met your father
on the Green, who tells me that he and Mrs. Clibborn are going into
Tunbridge Wells this afternoon. Unless, therefore, I hear from you
to the contrary, I shall (D.V.) present myself at your house at 3
P.M."

"What can he want to see me about?" exclaimed Mary, the truth occurring
to her only to be chased away as a piece of egregious vanity. It was
more reasonable to suppose that Mr. Dryland had on hand some charitable
scheme in which he desired her to take part.

"Anyhow," she thought philosophically, "I suppose I shall know when he
comes."

At one and the same moment the church clock struck three, and Mr.
Dryland ran