vent him helping the poor people to escape, and
then we used to have to go and live in another country until he was
found out again; and then at last he got ill and came to live in
England, and could only write books and have the poor prisoners to stay
here and get strong and well again; and other people had to help them
to get away from Siberia and from prison."

"It sounds like a story out of a book," said Tom.

"What a rich man your father must have been," said Norah. "It must be
very nice to have lots of money, and be able to help people."

"It wasn't all papa's own money," said Una. "Papa belonged to what he
called a society, and that society used to give him money to give to
the poor people. Someone in that society has found homes for Ivan and
Peter, our old servants, you know, who used to live here. It is very
nice that Marie is going to live with me always," added the little girl.

Norah drew a long breath.

"So that was your father's secret, Una?" she said. "It's a very nice
one."

"Papa would have helped the poor Russian people somehow," said Una,
with a wise little nod of her head, "even if he hadn't had any money.
Papa said once that everybody ought to try and help other people
somehow."

The children walked back across the fields and through the woods--not
talking much, but thinking of all that Una had told them--until they
came to the gap in the fence and saw that it had been boarded up.

"Oh, Una, look!" cried Tom.

"We shan't have any more picnics," said Norah dolefully.

Dan leant out of his small carriage and put his hand into Una's with a
happy little laugh.

"I don't mind a bit about the gap," he said. "We've got Una on this
side of it now."

THE END.

[Illustration: Back cover art]

End of Project Gutenberg's The Gap in the Fence, by Frederica J. Turle

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