n he intended, and
would have liked to repeat his observations in a more genial tone.

"Yes," said she almost as casually, "there is nothing more to be done
to-night, I suppose."

"I shall have to write up my report of our friend Mr Belke's life and
last words," said he with a half laugh.

"And I have got to get over to Mrs Brown's," she replied, "and so I had
better go at once."

"Oh, there's no such desperate hurry," he said hastily; "I haven't much
to write up to-night. We must have some supper first."

"Yes," she agreed, "I suppose we shall begin to feel hungry soon if we
don't. I'll see about it. What would you like?"

"The cold ham and a couple of boiled eggs will suit me."

She agreed again.

"That won't take long, and then you can begin your report."

Again he protested hastily.

"Oh, but there's no hurry about that, I assure you. I only wanted to
save trouble."

While she was away he stood before the fire, gazing absently into space
and scarcely moving a muscle. The ham and boiled eggs appeared, and a
little more animation became apparent, but it was not a lively feast.
She talked for a little in an ordinary, cheerful way, just as though
there was no very special subject for conversation; but he seemed too
absent-minded and silent to respond even to these overtures, except
with a brief smile and a briefer word. They had both been quite silent
for about five minutes, when he suddenly said in a constrained manner,
but with quite a different intonation--

"Well, I am afraid our ways part now. What are you going to do next?"

"I've been wondering," she said; "and I think if Mrs Craigie still
wants me I ought to go back to her."

"Back to the Craigies!" he exclaimed. "And become--er--a governess
again?"

"It will be rather dull at first," she laughed; "but one can't have
such adventures as this every day, and I really have treated the
Craigies rather badly. You see you told Mr Craigie the truth about my
desertion of them, and they may forgive me. If they do, and if they
still need me, I feel I simply must offer my services."

"It's very good of you."

She laughed again.

"It is at least as much for my own interest as Mrs Craigie's. I have
nowhere else to go to and nothing else to do."

"I wish I could offer you another job like this," said he.

A sparkle leapt into her eyes.

"If you ever do see any chance of making any sort of use of me--I mean
of letting me be useful--you wil