then boldly brought out the
word--"love them."

"And yet," said Betty quietly, "you yourself contemptuously rejected the
money that father wanted to give you when he could well afford it--the
day you left Beechfield nine years ago."

He hesitated, unutterably astonished, and yes, very much moved, too, at
this, her first reference to their joint past.

"I know I did," he said at last, "and I was a fool to do it. That cheque
of Mr. Tosswill's would have made all the difference to me during certain
awful weeks in Australia when I didn't know where to turn for a shilling.
I've been right up against it--the reality of things, I mean--and I know
both how much and how little money counts in life. It counts a lot,
Betty."

"I've been up against the reality of things, too," said Betty slowly,
"and I've learnt how very little money counts. You'd have known that, if
you'd been with the French Army. That was the difference between the
French and the English. The French _poilu_ had no money at all, and the
English Tommy had plenty. But it made no difference in the big things."

CHAPTER XVIII

Meanwhile Timmy, upstairs, had performed what was for him quite an
elaborate toilet. He possessed a new Eton suit of which he was secretly
proud, for in this as in so many things unlike most little boys, he took
great care of his clothes, and had an almost finicking dislike to what
was rough or untidy. His two younger sisters' untidiness was a perpetual
annoyance to him, and he still felt sore and angry at the way Rosamund
had upset his toy-box when looking for that old prescription.

To-night he felt queerly excited and above himself. After-dinner coffee
had been made in a way Betty had learnt in France, and she had foolishly
allowed him to drink a cup of the strong, potent, delicious fluid. This
had had a curious effect on him, intensifying his already acute
perceptions, and making him feel both brave and bold as well as
wary--wary Timmy Tosswill always was.

And now he was eagerly debating within himself whether he could carry
out an experiment he had an eager wish to try. It had filled his mind,
subconsciously, ever since he had slipped quickly in front of his brother
Jack to open the front door to Mrs. Crofton, a couple of hours ago.

Mrs. Crofton was very much of a town lady, and she had actually been
accompanied, during her short progress through the dark village, by her
parlourmaid. When Timmy opened the front door, sh