s, but I shall make a point
of forgetting them soon if they go on growing up like this. There is a
limit to everything--even to the memory of an old woman like myself.
The boys are at school, I suppose? But the little one--my baby--
Geraldine?"

"Quite well, sank you--how are you?" said the Mouse, coming forward from
her hiding-place, and holding out her tiny hand, with a sweet-faced
gravity which was too much for the good lady's composure. Down went the
teacup on the table, and Geraldine was folded in a hearty embrace.

"Bless your innocent face! I'm well, my darling--a great deal better
for seeing you. You don't remember me, do you?"

The Mouse put her head on one side as if considering how to answer
truthfully, without hurting the visitor's feelings. "I _sink_ I don't,"
she said slowly, "only p'raps I shall by-and-by. I'm very pleased to
see you."

"There now! What do you think of that? She couldn't possibly belong to
anyone in the world but you, Austin," cried Miss Carr in triumph; and
Mr Rayner held out his hand to the child with a smile that showed that
the Mouse had added yet another to the long list of her adorers.

It was not until dinner was over and the whole party had strolled into
the garden, that Hilary had a chance of a quiet talk with Mr Rayner;
but when her father and Miss Carr began to pace up and down the lawn, he
came up to her with a gesture of invitation.

"Won't you sit down for a few minutes on this seat?" Then, with a smile
of friendly interest, "Well--how goes it?--How goes it?"

Hilary drew in her breath with a gasp of pleasure. She had not realised
when in London how greatly she had been touched and impressed by her
meetings with the crippled author; it was only after she had returned to
the quiet of the country home that she had found her thoughts returning
to him again and again, with a longing to confide her troubles in his
ear; to ask his advice, and to see the kindly sympathy on his face. The
deep, rich tone of his voice as he said that "How goes it?" filled her
with delighted realisation that the long-looked-for time had arrived.

"Oh, pretty well--better and worse! I have been making discoveries."

"About--?"

"Myself, I think!" And Hilary stretched out her hands with a little
gesture of distaste, which was both graceful and natural.

Mr Rayner looked at her fixedly beneath bent brows. "Poor little Two
Shoes!" he said gravely. "So soon! It hurts, Two Shoes,