iting to him; an experienced,
sagacious lady; quite aware, in spite of her affection for him, of his
faults and weaknesses; solicitous that he should avoid the dangers of an
embarrassing entanglement; his happiness being the only consideration of
importance. On others it might have been a queen laying her immutable
commands upon some loyal subject, sworn to her service. Part of it might
have been written by a laughing philosopher who had learnt the folly of
taking life too seriously, knowing that all things pass: that the tears
of to-day will be remembered with a smile. And a part of it was the
unconsidered language of a loving woman. And those were the pages that
he kissed.

His letter in answer was much shorter. Of course he would obey her
wishes. He had been selfish, thinking only of himself. As for his
political career, he did not see how that was going to suffer by his
being occasionally seen in company with one of the most brilliantly
intellectual women in London, known to share his views. And he didn't
care if it did. But inasmuch as she valued it, all things should be
sacrificed to it. It was hers to do what she would with. It was the
only thing he had to offer her.

Their meetings became confined, as before, to the little house in North
Street. But it really seemed as if the gods, appeased by their
submission, had decided to be kind. Hilda was home for the holidays; and
her piercing eyes took in the situation at a flash. She appeared to have
returned with a new-born and exacting affection for her mother, that
astonished almost as much as it delighted the poor lady. Feeling sudden
desire for a walk or a bus ride, or to be taken to an entertainment, no
one was of any use to Hilda but her mother. Daddy had his silly politics
to think and talk about. He must worry them out alone; or with the
assistance of Miss Allway. That was what she was there for. Mrs.
Phillips, torn between her sense of duty and fear of losing this new
happiness, would yield to the child's coaxing. Often they would be left
alone to discuss the nation's needs uninterrupted. Conscientiously they
would apply themselves to the task. Always to find that, sooner or
later, they were looking at one another, in silence.

One day Phillips burst into a curious laugh. They had been discussing
the problem of the smallholder. Joan had put a question to him, and with
a slight start he had asked her to repeat it. But it seemed she ha