She had learned
that Mrs Cradell, the widow of a barrister, who had also succeeded in
getting her son into the Income-tax Office, had placed him in charge
of Mrs Roper; and she, with many injunctions to that motherly woman,
submitted her own boy to the same custody.

"And about going to church?" Mrs Eames had said to Mrs Roper.

"I don't suppose I can look after that, ma'am," Mrs Roper had
answered, conscientiously. "Young gentlemen choose mostly their own
churches."

"But they do go?" asked the mother, very anxious in her heart as to
this new life in which her boy was to be left to follow in so many
things the guidance of his own lights.

"They who have been brought up steady do so, mostly."

"He has been brought up steady, Mrs Roper. He has, indeed. And you
won't give him a latch-key?"

"Well, they always do ask for it."

"But he won't insist, if you tell him that I had rather that he
shouldn't have one."

Mrs Roper promised accordingly, and Johnny Eames was left under her
charge. He did ask for the latch-key, and Mrs Roper answered as she
was bidden. But he asked again, having been sophisticated by the
philosophy of Cradell, and then Mrs Roper handed him the key. She
was a woman who plumed herself on being as good as her word, not
understanding that any one could justly demand from her more than
that. She gave Johnny Eames the key, as doubtless she had intended
to do; for Mrs Roper knew the world, and understood that young men
without latch-keys would not remain with her.

"I thought you didn't seem to find it so dull since Amelia came
home," said Cradell.

"Amelia! What's Amelia to me? I have told you everything, Cradell,
and yet you can talk to me about Amelia Roper!"

"Come now, Johnny--." He had always been called Johnny, and the name
had gone with him to his office. Even Amelia Roper had called him
Johnny on more than one occasion before this. "You were as sweet to
her the other night as though there were no such person as L. D. in
existence." John Eames turned away and shook his head. Nevertheless,
the words of his friend were grateful to him. The character of a Don
Juan was not unpleasant to his imagination, and he liked to think
that he might amuse Amelia Roper with a passing word, though his
heart was true to Lilian Dale. In truth, however, many more of the
passing words had been spoken by the fair Amelia than by him.

Mrs Roper had been quite as good as her word when she told Mrs Eames
tha