she
would like to see--and remembered one or two trifles she had mentioned
which she wanted from town, and even laid in a stock of amusements for
little Geoff,--boys' books, suited rather to his years than to his
precocity. About the other and more serious part of his self-constituted
mission Warrender, however, had done nothing. He had passed one of those
"Scholastic Agencies," which it had been his (vague) intention to inquire
at, had paused and passed it by. There was truth, he reflected, in what
Cavendish said. How could he tell who might be recommended to him as
tutor for Geoff? Perhaps some man who would be his own superior, to whom
she might talk of the sunset or even of other matters, who might worm
his way into the place which had already begun to become Warrender's
place,--that of referee and executor of troublesome trifles, adviser at
least in small affairs.

He then began to reflect that in all probability a tutor in the house
would be a trouble and embarrassment to Lady Markland: one who could
come for a few hours every day (and was there not one who would be too
happy of the excuse to wait upon his mistress daily?) one who could
engage Geoff with work to be done, so that the mother might be free;
one, indeed, who would thus supplement the offices already held, and
become indispensable where now he was only precariously necessary,
capable of being superseded. It is very possible that in any case, even
had he not asked the valuable advice of Dick Cavendish, his journey to
London would have come to nothing; for he was in the condition to which
a practical proceeding of such a kind is inharmonious, and in which all
action is somewhat against the grain. But with the support of Dick's
advice his reluctance was justified to himself, and he returned to
Underwood with a consciousness of having given up his first plan for
a better one, and of having found by much thought an expedient better
calculated to answer all needs. Meanwhile he carried with him everywhere
the delight of that discovery which he had made. To say over the words
was enough,--I wondered if you remarked. Had Cavendish been with him on
the return journey, or had any stranger addressed him on the way, this
was the phrase which he would have used in reply. He watched the sunset
eagerly as he walked home from the station, laden with his parcel of
books. It was not this time a remarkable sunset. It was even a little
pale, as if it might possibly rain to