expecting to have such a lovely time."

"Let the house! Whew! Things must be precious bad ... Suppose, after
all, the Governor can't afford to send me to the army!"

"Here's a pretty go! The house doesn't matter. The country knocks town
into fits any day, but it will be a beastly fag if we have to cut things
down fine. What about the horses?"

"Poor father. Oh, dear, how awful mother looks! Rowena is a brute to
look so cross. P'raps the Spider will have to go, and I shall be
finished, and done with lessons. Topping!"

"Bateson's father lost his money and he went to sea. I wonder if they'd
let me!"

"I've got five pounds six in the bank. I'll draw it out, and give it to
them to help. That would last for mumfs and mumfs."

Mrs Saxon lifted her sad eyes and glanced wistfully round the table.
When she herself had first heard the news she had been stunned into
silence; she hardly expected words, but her mother's heart yearned for a
glance of sympathy and love. The boys, as is the habit of boys, were
rendered awkward and uncomfortable by the atmosphere of emotion, and
stared stolidly at their plates. Rowena sat like a frozen statue of
misery, Maud gaped blankly from one face to another; only Dreda was
ready and waiting with her sunny smile and her easy flow of sympathy.

"Darling! Of course we'll be brave! Don't worry about us. Everyone
says money doesn't matter a bit. You can be perfectly happy without
it... Perfectly sickening for you and father, down here by yourselves
with all that worry. You must have been bored!"

Bored! The utter inadequacy of the word brought a smile to the parents'
eyes, but the kindly warmth of voice and manner was as balm to their
sore hearts. What though Dreda's conduct belied her words time and
again, her impetuous kindliness of heart was for the moment infinitely
soothing, and a blessed contrast to Rowena's gloom. Both parents smiled
lovingly upon her, and Dreda glowed with satisfaction. Really, being
ruined was quite exciting and dramatic!

"Thank you, Dreda," said her father, gratefully. "These have been very
sad days for us, as you say, and even yet we are feeling rather stunned
by the suddenness of this trouble, and have not been able to think out
definite plans for your future. It was necessary to tell you the bare
fact, but you must be patient and forbear from questioning for a few
days. We shall not keep you in suspense longer than is necessary."

Su