been lonely but for the Major's
attentions. Her father had gone to London on business--showing, to Mr
Neeld's relief, no disposition to take the Journal with him to read on
the way--Neeld was absurdly nervous about the Journal now. Her mother
was engrossed in a notable scheme which Miss Swinkerton had started for
the benefit of the poor of Blentmouth. Bible-readings, a savings-bank,
and cottage-gardens were so inextricably mingled in it that the
beneficiary, if she liked one, had to go in for them all. "Just my
object," Miss Swinkerton would remark triumphantly as she set the
flower-pots down on the Bibles, only to find that the bank-books had got
stored away with the seed. Clearly Mrs Iver, chief aide-de-camp, had no
leisure. Harry was at Blent; no word and no sign came from him. Bob
Broadley never made advances. The field was clear for the Major. Janie,
grateful for his attentions, yet felt vaguely that he was more amusing
as one of two attentive cavaliers than when he was her only resource. A
sense of flatness came over her sometimes. In fact the centre of
interest had shifted from her; she no longer held the stage; it was
occupied now, for the few days she had still to live, by Lady Tristram.
Moreover, Duplay was puzzling. Although not a girl who erected every
attention or every indication of liking into an obligation to propose
matrimony, Janie knew that after a certain point things of this kind
were supposed to go either forward or backward, not to remain _in statu
quo_. If her own bearing toward Bob contradicted this general
rule--well, that was an exceptional case. In Duplay's instance she could
see nothing exceptional. She herself was not eager for a final
issue--indeed that would probably be brought about in another way--but,
knowing nothing of his diplomatic reasons for delay, she thought he
ought to be. It is not very flattering when a gentleman takes too long
over considering such a matter; a touch of impetuosity is more becoming.
She would have preferred that he should need to be put off, and failed
to understand why (if it may be so expressed) he put himself off from
day to day.

But Duplay's reasons were, in fact, overwhelming. Lady Tristram lived
still, and he had the grace to count that as the strongest motive for
holding his hand. Harry's campaign was for the moment at a standstill;
Duplay had no doubt he would resume it as soon as his mother was buried;
on its apparent progress the Major's action wo