my was there.

"What news?" asked Betty.

She glanced at her step-mother. Surely Janet hadn't been crying? Janet
never cried. She had not cried since that terrible day when the news had
come of George's death.

"What news?" she asked again.

"Mr. Barton--I really can't call him Lionel yet--came over this afternoon
and--and--"

Timmy rushed forward in front of his mother, his little face all aglow:
"Oh, Mum! You don't mean to say that he's popped?" he cried.

"Timmy, don't be vulgar!" exclaimed Janet severely.

Betty began to laugh a little wildly. "How very, very strange that it
should have happened to-day--"

"I don't think it's strange at all," said Janet quietly. "The strange
thing is that it hasn't happened before! But there it is--they're engaged
now. He seems to have told her that he thought it wrong to make his offer
until he had saved L100. She has gone over to Oakford, and they are busy
making an inventory of the things they will have to buy."

"Has he actually saved L100?" asked Betty.

"No, he never could have done that. He's had a legacy left him, and he
seems to think that L100 will start them most splendidly and comfortably
on their married life. He _is_ a fool!"

The door which gave on to the stairs which led from the scullery to the
upper floor opened, and Godfrey Radmore stepped down. "Am I the fool?" he
asked pleasantly.

Janet answered, smiling: "No, no; you're anything but that. I was only
telling Betty that Dolly and Mr. Barton are engaged at last." She turned
to Betty. "Of course, he's coming to supper to-night. I've been wondering
what we can do in the way of something extra to celebrate the occasion.
We _were_ going to have cold mutton."

"At any rate I'll go and see what the village pub. can produce in the way
of champagne," exclaimed Godfrey. He turned to his godson. "Timmy? Run up
and look at Josephine and her kittens. I've put them in the old night
nursery for a bit."

And then, when the boy had gone, he went up to Janet and, to her
surprise, put his arm through hers: "I'm glad about Dolly," he said
heartily.

"It proves how very little one really knows of human nature." She sighed,
but it was a happy sigh. "I was beginning to believe that he would never
what Timmy calls 'pop,' and yet the poor fellow was only waiting to be a
little forward in the world. Someone's left him L100, so he felt he could
embark on the great adventure. Your father and I have already talked it
ove