same sleepy office, where if he
worked for twenty years he could never gain more than a few hundreds a
year. Barney would come home and go into the bank. There is no other
place to put him, and he is too lively and high-spirited a boy to trust
by himself in a big town. Then there are the girls. They are all
clever, and father was very particular about their training. He
realised that he himself had made a mistake in trying too many things at
once, so he made them each choose one hobby and stick to that alone.
Hope is musical. She plays charmingly, can read music as easily as a
book, and has already had one song published. She ought to study
harmony under a clever master, and hear plenty of really good music.
Father said that that was what she wanted most of all--to hear good
music. She has gone through the drudgery; what she needs now is
confidence and style; but it is impossible to give it to her here. Theo
wishes to write. She is always scribbling, and father thought she would
do well some day. There are one or two editors in London who knew him,
and who would take an interest in her for his sake. She has a narrow
life here, with very few friends. It would be the best training for her
to have more varied experience. Madge is an artist. It is her ambition
in life to go to a studio and work hard. She is very original, and has
already quite a distinctive style of her own. Father was very proud of
her, and used to say she was the cleverest of the family. Now that he
is gone there is no one within miles who can help her with her work. It
seems to me a very sad thing to turn these girls into governesses and
household drudges when they have real gifts to cultivate."

"Quite so--quite so. I can understand your feelings; but you mustn't be
angry with me, my dear, if I say that you must allow some discount for
sisterly partiality. You think your sisters geniuses, but whether the
public will agree with you is a very different question." Uncle Loftus
was beginning to feel vaguely uncomfortable, and to scent a coming
request for a loan of money, to be repaid at that indefinite period when
the aforesaid geniuses should be recognised by the world. He was a
good-natured man, and was quite ready to help these pretty, attractive
nieces by an occasional present of a dress or a five-pound note; but his
recollection of school bills paid for his own daughter made him shrink
from the prospect of finishing the education