d too well to be astonished at the amount of missionary and
geographical knowledge that she possessed. Gladys was naturally very
timid and modest, but when subjects of interest were introduced she
forgot her timidity in a desire for information.

Owen had discovered her bent, and in their frequent meetings, accidental
or designed, had often chained her to him by descriptions of the
countries he had visited and the wonders he had seen. He, too, had found
out that there was a deep vein of romance running beneath the stratum of
reserve that, at first, had formed the outward feature of her character,
but which was wearing away as she became accustomed to her new friends,
and had been treated as a friend by them.

It was evident that Mr Jones was greatly interested in Gladys. He
addressed her, looked at her, called her 'my dear,' somewhat to the
scandal of Mr Prothero, who thought him too young a man for such a
familiar address. But Gladys only turned on him two beautiful eyes
beaming with a kind of wondering gratitude, and thought the white and
grey hairs that were mingled with the brown, and the deep lines in his
forehead, quite passport enough for the two kind words.

In addition to a great deal of missionary adventure, Mr Jones told his
new friends that he had come home partly in search of health and rest,
and partly to stir up friends at home in the cause of religion abroad.
He said that he might or might not return himself to Australia,--it
would depend on circumstances; but that he could not be idle in England,
and was likely to become either a fellow-curate of Rowland's, or a
neighbouring one. He liked a city curacy, because, having taught the
heathen in another land for many years, he thought he might do some good
amongst them at home. He told them, also, that it was during a year's
residence in Melbourne that he had known Miss Hall's sister. He had been
obliged to undertake clerical duty there, because his health was failing
in his attempts to convert the aborigines.

Mr Jones was a man of grave and quiet manner, one who seemed to think
much and deeply. He habitually led the conversation, without pedantry,
to religious or instructive subjects, and when lighter matter was
introduced, was given rather to withdraw his mind from it to his own
thoughts.

He had been little in society for many years, during which his time had
been passed in the highest, weightiest, gravest, grandest of all
labours,--that of studying