the guide,
philosopher and friend of everyone, and the special protector of the
little motherless girl about whom David Linton's life centred.
"Brownie" was not a person lightly to be reckoned with, and her master
was wont to turn to her whenever any question arose affecting Norah. He
greeted her warmly now.

"We're all glad to welkim you back, sirr," said Brownie. "As for that
blessed child, she's not like the same 'uman bein' when you're off the
place. Passed me jus' now in the passige, goin' full bat, an' turned
'ead over 'eels, she did--I didn't need to be told you'd got 'ome!" She
hesitated: "You heard from Mrs. Stephenson, sir?"

"Yes," said Mr. Linton, glancing at the letter in his hand. "As I
thought--she confirms our opinion. I'm afraid there's no help for it."

"I knew she would," said Mrs. Brown, heavily, a shadow falling onto her
broad, pleasant face. "Oh, I know there's no 'elp, sir--it has to be.
But--but--" She put her apron to her eyes.

"We're really very lucky, I suppose," Mr. Linton said, in tones
distinctly unappreciative, at the moment, of any luck. "Mrs. Stephenson
has been a second mother to Norah, these two years--between you and her
I can't see that the child needed anything; and with Dick as tutor she
has made remarkable progress. Personally, I'd have let the arrangement
go on indefinitely. Now that they've had to leave us, however--" He
paused, folding up the letter slowly.

"She couldn't stay 'ere, poor lady," Mrs. Brown said; "'tain't in
reason she'd be able to after the old gentleman's death, with the place
full of memories an' all. An', of course, she'd want Mr. Dick along
with her. Anyway, the precious lamb's getting a big girl to be taught
only by a young gentleman--" and Brownie pursed up her lips, looking
such a model of all the proprieties that Mr. Linton smiled
involuntarily.

"She's all right," he said shortly. "Of course, her aunt has been at me
for ever so long to send her to school."

"Beggin' your pardon, sir, Mrs. Geoffrey don't know everythink," said
Mrs. Brown, bridling. "Her not havin' any daughters of 'er own, 'ow can
it be expected that she'd understand? An' town ladies can't never
compre'end country children, any'ow. Our little maid's jus' grown up
like a bush flower, an' all the better she is for it."

"But the time comes for change, Brownie, old friend," said Mr. Linton.

"Yes," said Mrs. Brown, "it do. But what the station'll do is more'n I
can see just at