elder niece and her aunt!

'I wonder how that will work,' he thought. 'I wonder if it is only
superficial or if it goes deeper? If so, I hope poor Jass will have a
wider life than has evidently fallen to the lot of this good lady.' And
then, as it struck him that they were all sitting silent in most
constrained discomfort, he thrust aside his reflections and forced his
attention to return to the present.

'Perhaps I had better be looking up my quarters at the inn,' he said,
rising. 'I found I could get up to town practically almost as early by
the morning's express as by a night train. So if you will allow me, Miss
Mildmay, I will look in first thing to-morrow for another glimpse of
these little people.'

'But you will return to dine--at least not to dine, but--well, call it
high tea or supper, whichever you like,' said his hostess, cordially.
'Unless, of course, you prefer'----

Marmaduke stood irresolute. He was desperately afraid of annoying Miss
Mildmay.

'Oh no, of course not,' he began, 'but I'm'----

A sudden impulse seized Jacinth. She felt as if she must do
something--if she sat still a moment longer she would burst into tears.
She sprang to her feet and caught her uncle's arm. 'Oh, _do_ come back,
Marmy,' she said. 'You don't know.--Aunt Alison, do say he must.'

'Of course he must,' said Miss Mildmay. 'I am not going out this evening
as I usually do. I have given myself a holiday in honour of your
arrival, so pray come back as soon as you have ordered your room at the
_Swan_, Mr Denison,' And Marmaduke smilingly consented.

This little incident seemed to have thawed them all.

'I will show you your rooms now,' said Miss Mildmay, when, the young man
had gone. 'You two girls are to be together of course, and Eugene's
little room is on the next floor.'

Eugene, who was following with his sister Frances, whose hand he held,
here squeezed it while he looked up in her face with anxiety.

'Never mind,' she whispered. 'It's quite a little house compared to
granny's, Eugene. You can't be far away. Very likely you'll be just
overhead, and so if you want us in the night you can knock on the
floor.'

This seemed to satisfy the child, and the sight of his room, which
though small was bright and cheerful, went still further to reassure
him.

'It will be nice to have a room of my own,' he said bravely. 'At
granny's I slept in the night nursery with nurse.'

'But you're a big boy now, you know,' said Jacin