o have told you
all that before, but--I didn't think it necessary. I--I dare say I've a
tendency to let things slide."

"You've never let things slide about us," she replied quickly, with
a sudden glance which made him turn away again. "And I only wanted to
know--because I'd got an idea that--well, that we were owing everything
to you."

"Not from me!" he exclaimed.

"No--that would never be!" she said. "But--don't you understand?
I--wanted to know--something. Thank you. I won't ask more now."

"I've always meant to tell you--a good deal," remarked Ransford, after
another pause. "You see, I can scarcely--yet--realize that you're both
growing up! You were at school a year ago. And Dick is still very young.
Are--are you more satisfied now?" he went on anxiously. "If not--"

"I'm quite satisfied," she answered. "Perhaps--some day--you'll tell me
more about our father and mother?--but never mind even that now. You're
sure you haven't minded my asking--what I have asked?"

"Of course not--of course not!" he said hastily. "I ought to have
remembered. And--but we'll talk again. I must get into the surgery--and
have a word with Bryce, too."

"If you could only make him see reason and promise not to offend again,"
she said. "Wouldn't that solve the difficulty?"

Ransford shook his head and made no answer. He picked up his letters
again and went out, and down a long stone-walled passage which led to
his surgery at the side of the house. He was alone there when he had
shut the door--and he relieved his feelings with a deep groan.

"Heaven help me if the lad ever insists on the real truth and on having
proofs and facts given to him!" he muttered. "I shouldn't mind telling
her, when she's a bit older--but he wouldn't understand as she would.
Anyway, thank God I can keep up the pleasant fiction about the money
without her ever knowing that I told her a deliberate lie just now.
But--what's in the future? Here's one man to be dismissed already, and
there'll be others, and one of them will be the favoured man. That man
will have to be told! And--so will she, then. And--my God! she doesn't
see, and mustn't see, that I'm madly in love with her myself! She's no
idea of it--and she shan't have; I must--must continue to be--only the
guardian!"

He laughed a little cynically as he laid his letters down on his
desk and proceeded to open them--in which occupation he was presently
interrupted by the opening of the side-door and the e