e gone much further.
But we might take another way back.'

Jasper readily adapted himself to the wish he discerned in Mr Yule; at
once he offered leave-taking in the most natural way. Nothing was said
on either side about another meeting.

The young man proceeded homewards, but, on arriving, did not at once
enter the house. Behind the garden was a field used for the grazing of
horses; he entered it by the unfastened gate, and strolled idly hither
and thither, now and then standing to observe a poor worn-out beast, all
skin and bone, which had presumably been sent here in the hope that a
little more labour might still be exacted from it if it were suffered
to repose for a few weeks. There were sores upon its back and legs; it
stood in a fixed attitude of despondency, just flicking away troublesome
flies with its grizzled tail.

It was tea-time when he went in. Maud was not at home, and Mrs Milvain,
tormented by a familiar headache, kept her room; so Jasper and Dora sat
down together. Each had an open book on the table; throughout the meal
they exchanged only a few words.

'Going to play a little?' Jasper suggested when they had gone into the
sitting-room.

'If you like.'

She sat down at the piano, whilst her brother lay on the sofa, his
hands clasped beneath his head. Dora did not play badly, but an
absentmindedness which was commonly observable in her had its effect
upon the music. She at length broke off idly in the middle of a passage,
and began to linger on careless chords. Then, without turning her head,
she asked:

'Were you serious in what you said about writing storybooks?'

'Quite. I see no reason why you shouldn't do something in that way. But
I tell you what; when I get back, I'll inquire into the state of the
market. I know a man who was once engaged at Jolly & Monk's--the chief
publishers of that kind of thing, you know; I must look him up--what a
mistake it is to neglect any acquaintance!--and get some information out
of him. But it's obvious what an immense field there is for anyone who
can just hit the taste of the' new generation of Board school children.
Mustn't be too goody-goody; that kind of thing is falling out of date.
But you'd have to cultivate a particular kind of vulgarity.

There's an idea, by-the-bye. I'll write a paper on the characteristics
of that new generation; it may bring me a few guineas, and it would be a
help to you.'

'But what do you know about the subject?' asked Do