ounded, and tormented by an anxiety about the future, which was
beginning to take the spring out of her youth, she moved along the
side-walk with perfect unconsciousness that her eyes were brimming over,
and that two great tears were already on her cheeks.

It was a quiet road, and there was little likelihood of encountering any
one whom she knew. Therefore Janetta was utterly abashed when a
gentleman, who had met her, took off his hat, glanced at her curiously,
and then turned back as if by a sudden impulse, and addressed her by
name.

"Miss Colwyn, I think?"

She looked up at him through a blinding haze of tears, and recognized
the tall, spare figure, the fine sensitive face, the kind, dark eyes and
intellectual forehead. The coal-black beard and moustache nearly hid
his mouth, but Janetta felt instinctively that this tell-tale feature
would not belie the promise of the others.

"Sir Philip Ashley," she murmured, in her surprise.

"I beg your pardon," he said, with the courtesy that she so well
remembered; "I stopped you on impulse, I fear, because I felt a great
desire to express to you my deep sympathy with you in your loss. It may
seem impertinent for me to speak, but I knew your father and respected
and trusted him. We had some correspondence about sanitary matters, and
I was greatly relying on his help in certain reforms that I wish to
institute in Beaminster. He is a great loss to us all."

"Thank you," Janetta said unsteadily.

"Will you let me ask whether there is anything in which I can help you
just now."

"Oh, no, nothing, thank you." She had brushed away the involuntary tear,
and smiled bravely as she replied. "I did not think that I should meet
anybody: it was simply that I was disappointed about--about--some
lessons that I hoped to get. Quite a _little_ disappointment, you see."

"Was it a little disappointment? Do you want to give lessons--singing
lessons?"

"Yes; but nobody will have me to teach them," said Janetta, laughing
nervously.

Sir Philip looked back at the house which they had just passed. "That is
Miss Morrison's school: you came out of it, did you not? Does she not
need your help?"

"I do not suit her."

"Why? Did she try your voice?"

"Oh, no. It was for other reasons. She was prejudiced against me," said
Janetta, with a little gulp.

"Prejudiced? But why?--may I ask?"

"Oh, she had heard something she did not like. It does not matter: I
shall get other pupils by-and-