rt.

"Do be kind to her," whispered the girl. "Think what she must be going
through. She was so happy about him this morning----"

"Yes, yes! You're quite right," he said hastily. "I've been a brute--I
know that. I promise you to do my best. And Rose?"

"Yes," she said.

"What that man said is right--quite right. What we've got to do now is
to start the boy on the right way--nothing else matters."

She nodded.

"You and I can do it."

"Yes, I know we can--and will," said Rose; and then she opened the door
of Mrs. Robey's sitting-room.

At the sight of her husband, Lady Blake's sobs died down in long,
convulsive sighs.

"Come, my dear," he said, in rather cold, measured tones. "This will not
do. You must try for our boy's sake to pull yourself together. After
all, it might have been much worse. He might have been killed."

"I would much rather he had been killed," she exclaimed vehemently. "Oh,
John, you don't know, you don't understand, what this will mean to him!"

"Don't I?" he asked. He set his teeth. And then, "You're acting very
wrongly!" he said sternly. "We've got to face this thing out. Remember
what Sir Jacques said to you." He waited a moment, then, in a gentler,
kinder tone, "Rose and I are going out for a walk, and we want you to
come too."

"Oh, I don't think I could do that." She spoke uncertainly, and yet even
he could see that she was startled, surprised, and yes, pleased.

"Oh, yes, you can!" Rose came forward with the poor lady's hat and black
lace cloak. Very gently, but with the husband's strong arm gripping the
wife's rather tightly, they between them led her out of the front door
into the Close.

"I think," said Sir John mildly, "that you had better run back and get
your hat, Rose."

She left them, and Sir John Blake, letting go of his wife's arm looked
down into her poor blurred face for a moment. "That girl," he said
hoarsely, "sets us both an example, Janey."

"That's true," she whispered, "But John?"

"Yes."

"Don't you sometimes feel dreadfully _jealous_ of her?"

"I? God bless my soul, _no_!" But a very sweet smile, a smile she had
not seen shed on her for many, many years, lit up his face. "We'll have
to think more of one another, and less of the boy--eh, my dear?"

Lady Blake was too surprised to speak--and so, for once doing the wise
thing, she remained silent.

Rose, hurrying out a moment later, saw that the open air had already
done them both good.

CH