fluence. And she must have some really good qualities at
bottom or she could never have attracted him. There was nothing vicious
about her brother. She must write him of Miss Wickham's death. They were
neither of them fond of writing. It must be nearly a year since she had
heard from him last. And then, it was so difficult to keep up a
correspondence when people had no mutual friends and so little in
common.

A glance at her watch told her that it must be nearly time for the
London Wickhams to arrive. It would be better not to see them, unless
they sent for her, until after they had returned from the cemetery. They
were just the sort of people to think that she was forgetting her
position if she had the manner of playing hostess by receiving them.
Thank goodness! she would probably never see them again after to-day.

With a word to Kate that she would presently have her luncheon in her
room and then rest for a few hours until the people returned after the
funeral, she made her way to her own bare little room. How cold and bare
it was! With the exception of the framed pictures of her father and
mother and a small photograph of Eddie, taken before he had gone out,
there was nothing but the absolutely necessary furniture. Miss Wickham's
ideas of what a 'companion's' room should be like had partaken of the
austere. And all the rest of the house was so crowded and overloaded
with things. The drawing-room had always been an eyesore to Nora,
crammed as it was with little tables and cabinets containing china. And
in every available space there were porcelain ornaments and photographs
in huge silver frames. It was all like a badly arranged museum or a
huddled little curio shop. Well, she would soon be done with that, too!

Armed with her portfolio and writing materials Nora returned to the
guest chamber, which was her temporary abode. The motherly Kate was
waiting with an appetizing lunch on a neat tray. What a good friend she
had been. She would be genuinely sorry to part with Kate. She must ask
her to give her some address that would always reach her. Who knew,
years hence when she returned to England, but what she might afford to
set up a modest flat with Kate to manage things for her. She would speak
to her on the morrow--after the will was read.

"Ah, Kate, you knew just what would tempt me. Thank you so much! By the
way, has Miss Pringle sent any message?"

"Yes, Miss. Miss Pringle stopped on her way to the village a m