ave heard my name from your mother. I think your mother--what is
her name--"Eugenia," oh yes, I remember--I think your mother must have
heard of me even in her childhood. My unmarried name was Harper, "Myrtle
Harper;" your grandmother and I first took to each other, I think,
because we had such uncommon names.'

'Harper!' exclaimed Frances eagerly, 'there are some--what is it,
Jacinth?--I mean Bessie and Margar'----

'We must go,' said Jacinth, getting up, as she spoke. 'Frances, will you
call Eugene? and'--turning to her hostess, 'thank you _very_ much for
being so kind. And oh, if you will ask Aunt Alison to let us come again,
it would be such a pleasure.'

She raised her beautiful eyes to Lady Myrtle's face. A mist came over
the keen bright old pair gazing at her in return. Partly perhaps to
conceal this sudden emotion, Lady Myrtle stooped--for, tall though
Jacinth was for her age, she was shorter than her grandmother's old
friend--and kissed the soft up-turned cheek. 'My dear, you are _so_ like
her--my Jacinth, sometimes,' she murmured, 'that it is almost too much
for me.'

Then a practical thought struck her.

'You have not told me your address at Thetford,' she said. 'I had better
have it, though no doubt Miss Alison Mildmay is well known in the
place.'

Jacinth gave it.

'Number 9, Market Square Place,' she said.

'Oh, I know where it is--a row of rather nice quaint old houses. Still,
you must feel rather cooped up there sometimes, after Stannesley; was
not that the Denisons' place? I was there once.'

'We miss the grounds, and--yes, we miss a good many things,' said
Jacinth simply.

'Then I hope that Robin Redbreast will make up to you for some of them,'
said Lady Myrtle. 'You know the name of my funny old house, I daresay?'

'Oh yes,' said Francis, who had just rejoined them with Eugene and
Phebe, 'we heard it the very first day. And we've always thought it
lovely--both the house and the name. And we always pass by this way when
we can, because of the gates. We call them 'Uncle Marmy's gates,' for
it was here we said good-bye to him--good-bye _properly_, I mean.'

'Kissing, and trying not to cry,' added Eugene, by way of explanation.

Lady Myrtle seemed a little startled.

'Uncle Marmy!' she repeated, 'that was your grandfather's name. I
thought your mother was an only child.'

'Yes,' said Jacinth, 'Uncle Marmaduke is not our real--not our full
uncle. He is mamma's half-brother only.'

'Oh,