those around her, but from herself too--had done the
little that lay in her power to save her governess's eyes as much as
possible.

But to Mr. Anstruther the news came as a very disagreeable shock. He had
not intended to part with Miss Bidwell for at least three or four years
to come. Other people might perhaps have considered that Margaret was
already growing too old to be subject to the control of a governess, and
that if her character were to be properly developed she must now be
allowed to think and act independently. But if any one had ventured to
express these sentiments to Mr. Anstruther, they would have been
requested, not over politely, to mind their own business. He had grown
used to Miss Bidwell, and he disliked the idea either of replacing her by
a stranger, or of letting Margaret do without another governess.

Margaret parted with her governess with very real regret. Although
through all the years they had been together their relations had always
been those of mistress and pupil only, never that of friends and
companions, still in losing her Margaret at least lost the company of
another fellow-being. For Mr. Anstruther had decided not to engage
another governess, at any rate not until he saw if he could possibly do
without one. His dislike for his fellow creatures became intensified
every year, and had it not been that his occupation of farming took him
out of doors all day long and brought him into contact with all sorts and
conditions of people, he would long ago have turned into the recluse that
he wished his granddaughter to be.

For the existence that he planned for her now was one of the most
extraordinary that a girl of her age was ever called upon to live. She
was, he decreed, to go on exactly as if her governess was still with her,
to read for so many hours a day, to practise for so many more, and to
take regular exercise in the garden. For out of the confines of the
grounds she was now strictly forbidden to go. But as Margaret listened to
the rules that were being laid down for her she never dreamed of
questioning them, but in the shy voice that was habitual to her in her
grandfather's presence promised obedience to them. And as she left the
room her grandfather looked after her with an expression of great
satisfaction on his face. But the satisfaction was for himself, and not
for her. How well he had brought her up! How wise his treatment of her
had been! What a commendable difference between