mself upon the opposite end of the bench where she was
sitting.

"That's certainly the address she gave me," he muttered to himself, "and
it might possibly be the child. She tallies a little with the
description; she's fair, and not bad-looking, though I don't see a trace
of the Stewarts in her face. As for resembling my Isobel--well, of
course, that was only a scheme on the mother's part to try and arouse my
interest in her. What the letter said is true enough, all the same: if
she's my grandchild it isn't right that she should be brought up in
penury, and I suppose I must send her to school, or provide in some way
for her. I can't say I'm much taken with her looks. She's too dressed-up
for my taste. Where did her mother find the money to buy those fal-lals?
It doesn't accord with the lack of means she complained of. I wonder if
I could manage to ask her name without giving myself away."

He took a newspaper from his pocket, and spreading it out, pretended
to read, stealing occasional glances in Belle's direction, and
racking his brains for a suitable method of opening a conversation.
Belle, who was beginning to be rather tired of her occupation, and
was half thinking of moving farther on or going home, became
suddenly conscious that she seemed to be arousing an unusual degree
of interest in her companion at the other end of the bench.
Constantly petted and admired by her mother's friends, she was
accustomed to receive a good deal of attention, and it struck her
that a short chat with this distinguished-looking stranger might
beguile her monotony until tea-time. She therefore let her fluffy
curls fall round her face in the way that an artist had once painted
them, and began to cast coy looks from under her long lashes in his
direction, hoping that he might speak to her; both of which methods
she usually found very engaging with elderly gentlemen, who
generally asked her whose little girl she was, and ended by saying
she was a charming child, and they wished they owned her, or some
other remark equally flattering and gratifying.

In this case however, her pretty ways did not seem to have their due
effect; either the old gentleman was really shy himself, or he found a
difficulty in starting, for though he cleared his throat several times,
as if he were on the very point of speaking, he seemed to change his
mind, and kept silence. Somewhat disappointed, Belle nevertheless was
not easily baffled, and after having sighed