-I felt that it must be the making of two people to
have such a little son as that, depending upon them to show him how to
grow up right. One would simply be obliged to live up to his baby belief
in one; wouldn't one, Helen?"

"Yes, darling; we--we should."

"I hope you will see a lot of the Dalmains while I am away. Try to put
in a good long visit there. And she would come over, if you wanted her,
wouldn't she?"

"Yes; she will come if I want her."

"You and she are great friends," pursued Ronnie, "aren't you? _I_ find
her alarming. When she looks at me, I feel such a worm. I want to slide
into a hole and hide. But there is never a hole to be found. I have to
remain erect, handing tea and bread-and-butter, while I mentally grovel.
I almost pray that a hungry blackbird or a prying thrush may chance to
come my way, and consider me juicy and appetising. You remember--the
Vicar and _Mrs._ Vicar came to tea that day. She wore brown spots. But
even the priestly blackbird, and the Levitical thrush, passed me by on
the other side."

"Oh, Ronnie, how silly! I know Jane admires your books, darling!"

"She considers me quite unfit to tie your shoe-strings."

"Ronnie, be quiet! You would not be afraid of her, had you ever known
what it was to turn to her in trouble or difficulty. She helped me
through an awfully hard time, six months before I met you. She showed me
the right thing to do, then stood by me while I did it. There is nobody
in the whole world quite like her."

"Well, send for her if you get into any troubles while I am away. I
shall feel quite brave about her being here, when I am safely hidden in
the long grass!"

"Is there any possible chance that you will get back sooner than you
think, Ronnie?"

"Hardly. Not before November, anyway. And yesterday my publishers were
keen that I should put in a night at Leipzig on my way home, and a night
at the Hague; show whatever 'copy' I have to firms there, and make
arrangements for German and Dutch translations to appear as soon as
possible after the English edition is out. I think I may as well do
this, and return by the Hook of Holland. I enjoy the night-crossing, and
like reaching London early in the morning. By the way, haven't you a
cousin of some sort living at Leipzig?"

"Yes; my first cousin, Aubrey Treherne. He is studying music, and
working on compositions of his own, I believe. He lives in a flat in the
Grassi Strasse."

"All right. Put his address in