to us were of a staid and matronly
appearance. Only out of pictures hitherto had such witchery looked upon
me; and from these the spell faded as one gazed.

I heard old Hasluck's smoky voice saying, "My little gell, Barbara," and
I went nearer to her, moving unconsciously.

"You can kiss 'er," said the smoky voice again; "she won't bite." But I
did not kiss her. Nor ever felt I wanted to, upon the mouth.

I suppose she must have been about fourteen, and I a little over ten,
though tall for my age. Later I came to know she had that rare gold
hair that holds the light, so that upon her face, which seemed of dainty
porcelain, there ever fell a softened radiance as from some shining
aureole; those blue eyes where dwell mysteries, shadow veiled. At the
time I knew nothing, but that it seemed to me as though the fairy-tales
had all come true.

She smiled, understanding and well pleased with my confusion. Child
though I was--little more than child though she was, it flattered her
vanity.

Fair and sweet, you had but that one fault. Would it had been another,
less cruel to you yourself.

CHAPTER V.

IN WHICH THERE COMES BY ONE BENT UPON PURSUING HIS OWN WAY.

"Correct" is, I think, the adjective by which I can best describe
Doctor Florret and all his attributes. He was a large man, but not
too large--just the size one would select for the head-master of an
important middle-class school; stout, not fat, suggesting comfort, not
grossness. His hands were white and well shaped. On the left he wore
a fine diamond ring, but it shone rather than sparkled. He spoke of
commonplace things in a voice that lent dignity even to the weather. His
face, which was clean-shaven, radiated benignity tempered by discretion.

So likewise all about him: his wife, the feminine counterpart of
himself. Seeing them side by side one felt tempted to believe that
for his special benefit original methods had been reverted to, and she
fashioned, as his particular helpmeet, out of one of his own ribs.
His furniture was solid, meant for use, not decoration. His pictures,
following the rule laid down for dress, graced without drawing attention
to his walls. He ever said the correct thing at the correct time in the
correct manner. Doubtful of the correct thing to do, one could always
learn it by waiting till he did it; when one at once felt that nothing
else could possibly have been correct. He held on all matters
the correct views. To differ from