into
the business--nothing that matters, but it may just as well be made
safe, if a little trouble will do it. I was wondering how it would be
if I worked a little down yonder--kept Morphew in sight. Distance is
the chief objection.'

'But you think of moving to Gunnersbury?'

'Yes, I do. I'm thinking of it seriously. Will you go over with me one
day next week! Better be Saturday--Mrs. Abbott will be free.'

It was unfortunate that Alma had not been able to establish an intimacy
with Mary Abbott. They saw each other very rarely, and, as Harvey
perceived, made no progress in friendship. This did not surprise him;
they were too unlike in temper, intellect, and circumstances. Whether
to these obstacles should be added another more serious, Harvey could
not quite assure himself. He had suspected that Alma entertained a
slight jealousy--natural, perhaps, though utterly without substantial
cause. He even reckoned with this when proposing to put the child under
Mrs. Abbott's care, thinking that, in revolt against such an
alternative, Alma might be impelled to take the duty upon herself. That
nothing of the kind had resulted, seemed to prove that, whatever
feeling might occasionally have arisen in Alma, she did not regard his
friend with any approach to hostility. For his own part, he had always
felt that the memory of Bennet Frothingham must needs forbid Mrs.
Abbott to think with unrestrained kindliness of Alma, and, but for Alma
herself, he would scarce have ventured to bring them together. That
they were at least on amiable terms must be held as much as could be
hoped for. With regard to Mary's efficiency as a teacher, his opinion
had grown more favourable since he had seen her in her own home. Time
and experience were moulding her, he thought, to a task undertaken
first of all in a spirit of self-discipline. She appeared to be
successful in winning the confidence of parents, and she no longer
complained of inability to make herself liked by her little pupils.
Best of all, she was undoubtedly devoting herself to the work with all
the powers of her mind, making it the sole and sufficient purpose of
her life. Harvey felt no misgiving; he spoke his true thought when he
said that he would rather trust Hughie to Mrs. Abbott than to any other
teacher. It was with surprise, therefore, and some annoyance, that he
received Alma's reply to his proposal for their going over to
Gunnersbury next week.

'Are you quite sure,' she sai