have told Agatha I shall take the
garden into my charge. I am certain I shall succeed with it.'

'Do you ever doubt your capability for doing anything?'

Clare put the question gravely.

'No, I don't think I do, except teach a Sunday school class!' said
Gwen, laughing.

'I sometimes feel I am incapable of living even,' said Clare dreamily.

Gwen stared at her. These two understood each other better than one
would have thought possible with such opposite characteristics. Clare
admired Gwen's intellect, and there were times when Gwen knew that
Clare had depths of which she knew nothing. Reason and practical
common sense had full sway in the one, imagination and mysticism in the
other, and none of these qualities were tempered with real religion.

'You must be in the blues!' exclaimed Gwen, with a laugh.

'No,' said Clare, looking up, 'I am not, at all. I am longing to be up
and doing, and leave some mark behind me as I go. Is that Browning you
have in your hand? Just let me look up a passage!' Gwen laughed again
as she handed across the book.

'No hope for any more help from you, if you once get hold of him!'

And for an hour Clare sat amongst the piles of books with her fair head
resting against the carved cupboard, and not a word or sign could Gwen
get out of her.

Elfie spent her time in helping Agatha to unpack, and it was a very
tired little party that gathered round the drawing-room fire that
evening.

'I wonder,' said Clare, 'if we shall find we have made a mistake in
coming here. It seems so very quiet, and different to either London or
Dane Hall. When we used to stay there with Aunt Mildred, there was
always such a lot going on that it didn't seem quite like the country.'

'My dear Clare,' said Agatha quietly, 'you would be much happier
yourself, and would make others happier too, if you always made the
best of your circumstances. I remember you used to complain at Dane
Hall of the frivolity and empty-headedness of aunt's visitors, and
would say it was a mere waste of life to live as we did!'

'Oh, don't be so prosy, Agatha!' Clare returned impatiently. 'If you
were dropped into a workhouse ward, you would look round and remark how
comfortable you were, and how at last you had found your vocation!'

Elfie laughed aloud at this, but Agatha leant back in her chair and
looked into the glowing coals in front of her with a smile that showed
she was not destitute of humour. 'I daresay I mi